A train crew member distributes souvenirs to passengers on C2114 train in Tianjin on January 14, 2025. Chinese travelers packed into cars, trains and planes on Tuesday, kicking off the landmark chunyun. Photo: Xinhua
China's annual Spring Festival travel rush, also known as
chunyun, officially started on Tuesday, during which a record 9 billion trips are estimated to be made during the 40-day period of festivities. On the first day of
chunyun, hustles and bustles are on vivid display across the country's railway stations and airports, as millions of passengers - carrying bags filled with gifts and treats - embark on homecoming trips in an atmosphere charged with joy and the festive spirit.
As the largest human migration on the planet,
chunyun is not only considered a manifestation of China's transportation prowess and technological progress, but also a barometer gauging into the dynamic of the world's second-largest economy "on the move." As such, the epic number of the Chinese population on the move underscores the massive consumption potential, analysts said, while expecting multiple holiday consumption trends to take footholds and buttress the economy to get off to a good start in 2025.
Reunion journeyChina's annual Spring Festival travel rush starts at 12:02 am on Tuesday, with regular-speed passenger train K4159 leaving Beijing West Railway Station to Hefei, East China's Anhui Province. The Global Times noticed that the train was adorned with traditional decorations like paper-cuts, Chinese knots and ribbons, and a red banner "homecoming is the essence of Chinese Lunar New Year" was displayed in one of the train coaches, infusing the reunion journey with warmth and a holiday cheer.
When the Global Times paid an on-site visit to the station on early Tuesday morning, the Beijing West Railway Station was crowded with travelers who moved briskly and energetically while carrying large bags. With the train announcement echoing through the air and passengers all wearing bright smiles, the station was filled with the cheerful atmosphere of celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station was also bustling with activities when the Global Times visited it on Tuesday morning. Hundreds of Chinese travelers were lining up in the station's waiting hall in an orderly manner under the guidance of railway staff members.
The Global Times also learned from staff members that this year, a range of cutting-edge technologies such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, smart system and facial recognition have been widely applied to facilitate a variety of processes during
chunyun, including ticket sales, security check as well as station entry and exit.
During the stay at the Chaoyang Railway Station's waiting hall, a young boy ran into the Global Times' reporter. With palpable excitement on his face, the boy eagerly shared his joy about beginning his winter break by heading to the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, which is also the world's largest ice-and-snow theme park.
His mom, a local resident surnamed Xing from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times that they will soon take the train to go on a family trip in Harbin on Tuesday. "My son saw some videos of the park on social media and can't wait to play in the snow and see the ice sculptures," Xing said, adding that she ''bought the ticket a week ago.''
Regardless of being children with adorable faces, or the elderly with silver hair, the Spring Festival travel rush embodies the longing and anticipation of ordinary Chinese people for reunion after a year of hard-working, and for welcoming a more prosperous year ahead.
A 60-something security guard surnamed Li, who worked in Beijing and took the K4159 train to go back to his hometown in Anhui, told the Global Times on Tuesday that what he expects most for the reunion trip is to spend more time with his four grandsons. "My grandsons have been eagerly awaiting my return, they're always calling to ask when I will be home," Li added.
Vibrant economic activitiesAccording to a statement China Railway sent to the Global Times on Tuesday, on the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush, the national railways are projected to deliver 10.3 million passenger trips. It is expected that during this year's Spring Festival travel period, the railway passenger volume will exceed 510 million, with an average of 12.75 million people per day, representing a 5.5 percent year-on-year increase.
China Railway will increase passenger transport capacity for the travel rush. The new railway lines that began operations in 2024, along with the 185 new Fuxing high-speed trains capable of running at speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour deployed prior to the travel rush, will effectively expand transportation capacity, the statement noted.
In terms of aviation capacity, more domestically produced C919 large passenger jets will be put into service due to the Spring Festival travel rush. And air travel during this year's travel rush is projected to exceed 90 million, also setting a new historical record.
China Eastern Airlines told the Global Times that it plans to deploy 804 passenger aircrafts, including 10 domestically produced C919 aircraft, and operate 124,000 flights during the 40-day period. Starting from January 9, Air China also put a new C919 jet operating on the flight route between Beijing and Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, making the total air routes operating with C919 to five during the travel rush period, the Global Times learned from the Chinese carrier on Tuesday.
Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the large-scale movement of population pointed to vibrant economic activities, which will lead to "an explosive growth" of potential consumer demands in all fronts during the Spring Festival travel rush period, including dining, accommodation, shopping and entertainment.
This year's Spring Festival features 8-day-long holidays that start on January 28 and a substantial relaxation of China's visa-free transit policy. Additionally, it is the first travel rush since China's Spring Festival was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, China Railway said.
Data released by various travel platforms signaled a travel boom in the upcoming eight-day Spring Festival holidays, which analysts believe will further bolster market confidence and stimulate market entities' vitality.
In response to a question regarding trending "China travel", China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the country welcomes foreign tourists to join China's celebration of the Spring Festival, experience the joy of the Chinese Lunar New Year, feel the warmth of Chinese hospitality, and usher in an auspicious Year of the Snake.
"A robust spending spree could directly drive economic expansion and fuel industrial upgrade, therefore laying a solid foundation for the world's second-largest economy to start off in the new year of 2025," Wang noted.
Also, unlike in the past when there would be "a scarcity of tickets" due to strained transportation capacity, the country's ability to support 9 billion trips speaks volume for the growing prowess of China's transportation infrastructure, analysts added.