As the May Day holiday kicked off on Thursday, the Chinese mainland witnessed an unprecedented travel surge, reflecting strong tourism demand and economic vitality.
Ministry of Transport figures show inter-regional passenger trips soared to 332.7 million on Day 1, up 6.2% year on year. Road journeys led the charge with 305.6 million trips (+4.7%), while water transport flew up 87.5% and air traffic climbed 8.9%.
On railways, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. handled a record 23.12 million passenger trips (+11.7%), deploying 13,800 trains on May 1 alone. From April 29 to May 6, rail travel is projected to reach 144 million trips.
Data from booking platform 12306 highlights top holiday hotspots: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Xi’an, Nanjing and Zhengzhou. Compared to the shorter, local journeys during the Qingming Festival, May Day travelers ventured farther—exploring 1,229 counties nationwide, with bookings up 20%, according to Qunar.com.
For young global citizens, digital nomads and culture seekers, these record numbers underscore a golden opportunity to explore diverse landscapes and experiences across the Chinese mainland. With transport networks firing on all cylinders, the May Day holiday is redefining travel benchmarks and revealing evolving mobility trends.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
