This Spring Festival, many glimpsed today's China through something simple: a plane ticket, a movie ticket and a train journey.

Thanks to expanded visa-free policies, a spontaneous trip to China has become a breeze. During the holiday, 460,000 foreign travelers entered the country under visa-free arrangements, up 28.5 percent year on year, making them the fastest-growing segment. Of the 17.796 million cross-border trips recorded nationwide, a growing international presence was visible at major gateways.

Cinemas across the country told a similar story of momentum. More affordable ticket prices during the Spring Festival holiday drew 120 million moviegoers, generating 5.752 billion yuan (about $800 million) in box office revenue. On a global picture, China's total box office receipts have already surpassed $1.2 billion this year, ranking first globally among single markets.

Audiences were drawn not only by holiday tradition, but by cinematic stories rooted in contemporary Chinese life. Several leading releases translated distinctly Chinese family bonds, visions of technology and urban experience into themes that resonate widely. Among them, Pegasus 3 topped the charts. Building on a well-known franchise, the film introduced a new storyline centered on human-AI competition. It reflected the growing sophistication of China's film industry while retaining an emotional core that felt grounded and relatable.

Beyond cinema halls, the railways offered another vivid portrait of holiday mobility.

During the Spring Festival period, China's railway network handled more than 121 million passenger trips. The figures capture familiar patterns: Family reunions, tourism and the steady return to work, with the journey itself increasingly becoming part of the celebration.

Themed tourist trains like the "Panda Express" weave regional cuisine, scenic landscapes and cultural landmarks into tailored travel routes, turning transportation itself into a unique experience. For international visitors, this fusion of mobility and culture offers a glimpse into a modern China that strikes a balance between efficiency and immersive cultural engagement.

Spring Festival, in this sense, has opened up a perspective for people to understand daily life in China. It is a country that feels easier to reach, busy with cultural life and constantly in transit. Trains depart, flights arrive, and cinemas are fully booked — and the movement itself tells the story.