China's Spring Festival travel rush estimated at record 9.4

A paper cut themed on the Spring Festival travel rush is seen at the Lijiang Railway Station in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 13, 2026. The 2026 Spring Festival travel rush comes to an end on Friday. (Photo by Zhao Qingzu/Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The total number of inter-regional passenger trips across China during the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which concluded on Friday, is estimated to reach a record 9.4 billion, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.

Road travel accounted for about 8.74 billion trips, remaining the busiest mode of transportation. Railway passenger trips totaled 538 million, while air travel handled 94.39 million passengers and waterways recorded 35.95 million trips.

The travel rush, often described as the world's largest annual human migration, highlights China's massive mobility and vibrant economic activity. The Spring Festival, a traditional occasion for family reunions, fell on Feb. 17 this year.