Overview
- China’s transportation ministry counted 1.4 billion inter‑regional trips from Feb. 2–8, including 86 million by train, 16 million by air and 4.9 million by water.
- State planners forecast about 540 million rail journeys and 95 million flights during the 40‑day period, with the vast majority of travel occurring on roads.
- Authorities and industry reports say roughly 80% of all journeys will be self‑driving, underscoring pressure on highways and local logistics.
- The People’s Bank of China added 600 billion yuan in liquidity ahead of the holiday to ease cash needs and bolster consumption.
- Crowded stations, lengthy itineraries and ticket cost concerns are widely reported, even as a rare nine‑day national holiday runs Feb. 15–23 with Lunar New Year on Feb. 17.