China’s transport authorities are gearing up for one of the busiest travel days of the year as millions of people return home at the end of the eight-day “Golden Week” national holiday.
The Ministry of Public Security said on Monday that a surge in return traffic was expected on Tuesday, particularly across China’s major city clusters — Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region.
Despite the heavy movement, the ministry reported no major accidents or widespread congestion as of Monday night.
The Ministry of Transport said it was working closely with local authorities to maintain smooth and safe travel conditions, coordinating responses across the country’s highways, railways, and airports.
It urged officials in regions hit by extreme weather to remain vigilant and take pre-emptive safety measures.
The ministry noted that it had “called on all departments to ensure the safety and efficiency of transport during the holiday season, proactively address major risks and continue responding to the aftermath of [Typhoon Matmo].”
Typhoon Matmo made landfall in Guangdong province on Sunday, bringing strong winds and torrential rain to much of southern China.
The storm caused temporary suspensions of rail and air services in several affected areas before gradually weakening inland.
Golden Week, which concludes on Wednesday, is one of China’s most significant annual travel periods, combining National Day on 1 October with this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.
Hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens use the extended break to travel domestically or visit family.
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Transport, more than 291 million domestic trips were recorded on Sunday.
While slightly lower than the daily figures from earlier in the week, which each topped 300 million journeys, the overall numbers remain substantial.
The ministry estimates that around 2.36 billion passenger trips will be made nationwide during the holiday period, with private vehicles accounting for roughly 80% of total travel.
Air traffic has also reached record levels, with an expected 19.2 million passenger trips on domestic and international flights during the eight-day holiday, a 3.6% increase compared with last year.
Authorities have pledged to continue monitoring traffic conditions and weather patterns through the final days of Golden Week to ensure a safe return home for travellers.
