It's the end of the National Day holidays in China, the time of the year when millions of Chinese people return to the cities where they work after a weeklong holiday.

It's also the time of the year when the country experiences some of the worst traffic congestion of the year, when traffic jams can stretch for kilometers on its highways and roads.

Severe traffic congestion was reported over the last two days of the holiday. According to the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, the surge in the number of people traveling is because the holiday was close to the Mid-Autumn Festival, which fell on September 27 this year, and because of the increasing number of people with their own cars, Xinhua reported.

The congestion was also fueled by smog in northern China, and traffic accidents in areas such as Zhejiang Province where incessant rain led to slippery roads. On Wednesday morning, at least three severe rear-end collisions were reported in Zhejiang Province, each involving multiple cars and leading to backups of over one kilometer.

Passengers tired of waiting were seen sticking outside of their cars' sunroofs and snapping selfies of themselves as entertainment, according to local media. Some passengers even left their cars to walk their dogs.

Global Times

An aerial shot of the traffic congestion near a Beijing tollgate on October 6. Photo: CFP

In Ji'nan, Shandong Province, a woman walks her dog on the expressway on October 3. Photo: CFP

In Beijing, passengers stick out of sunroofs and stand on top of median strips to take photographs of the congestion. Photo: CFP

Tired of waiting, a man stretches himself on a car in Hunan Province. Photo: CFP

Three passengers take a group photo to mark their experience. Photo: CFP