China’s 2026 Spring Festival travel rush begins, the 1st train from Beijing rolls out amid festive cheer and family reunion expectations

China's annual Spring Festival travel rush, known as chunyun, officially started on Monday, and a record 9.5 billion passenger trips are estimated for the 40-day period of festivities from February 2 to March 13.

China's national railway network is expected to handle 540 million passenger trips during the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, averaging 13.48 million trips per day, up 5.0 percent year on year, according to China State Railway Group Co.

A passenger happily waves aboard the first Spring Festival travel-rush train from Beijing to Nanchang, East China’s Jiangxi Province, on February 2, 2026. Photo: Li Hao/GT

At 12:40 am on Monday, the K4069 train departed smoothly from Beijing West Railway Station to Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province, marking the official launch of the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush for China Railway Beijing Group. On the first day, Beijing West Station is expected to handle about 145,000 passenger trips, with total passenger volume projected to reach 5.155 million over the entire travel period.

The conductor of Train K4069 poses for a photo with a passenger before the train departs from Beijing West Railway Station for Nanchang in East China’s Jiangxi Province on February 2, 2026. Photo: Zhang Yiyi/GT

The Global Times reporter noticed there was strong Spring Festival atmosphere inside the train, with traditional Chinese New Year paper-cut designs and Year of the Horse greetings displayed on its windows.

Liu Jingjing, a graduate student at China Agricultural University in Beijing from Xinyang in Central China's Henan Province, told the Global Times that as university students start their winter break earlier than others, she was returning home as soon as classes ended and found it relatively easy to secure a ticket. Booking through the railway's official 12306 platform was convenient and efficient, she said, noting that students receive a 25 percent discount, making train travel highly cost-effective.

A green-painted train decorated with a strong Spring Festival atmosphere, featuring Year of the Horse greetings on its windows, is seen on February 2, 2026. Photo: Zhang Yiyi/GT

Li, a home decoration worker in Beijing from Central China's Henan Province, told the Global Times that he headed home early thanks to his flexible work schedule. His backpack was filled with daily necessities and gifts for his family. With two children aged 13 and 9 studying in his hometown in Henan and eagerly awaiting his return, he said he bought Beijing-style yogurt, a local specialty, to share with his family. "I didn't try it myself, saving it for my family," he said with a smile as he carefully secured the package before boarding the train.

Li Huan, a graduate student studying in Beijing from Central China's Hubei Province, told the Global Times that she bought her ticket a week ago via a WeChat mini-program, paying just 180 yuan ($25) for a sleeper berth with a student discount.

She said the trip to the station by subway was smooth, with only one security check required, while clear signage helped her quickly find the waiting area. By chance, she boarded the first train of the travel rush, soaking in a festive atmosphere marked by warm and professional service from staff. Her New Year wish, she said with a smile, is to reunite with her family and wish them peace and good health.

The crew from Huairou North locomotive depot assigned to Train K4069 made thorough preparations for the task. "To secure a strong start to the Spring Festival travel rush, our depot selected 90 key staff to form two service teams and conducted rigorous, all-round training," train conductor Liu Chao told the Global Times.

The train was filled with a festive Spring Festival atmosphere, with traditional paper-cut window decorations, horse-themed tabletop ornaments and banners, as well as Year of the Horse couplets prepared for passengers. Staff members told the Global Times they had carefully arranged the decorations and gifts to create a warm and cheerful travel experience.

Given that the route passes major transfer hubs such as Hengshui, Fuyang and Jiujiang, crew members familiarized themselves in advance with the most convenient transfer routes and proactively guided passengers to minimize transfer times, Liu said. He added that mobile service desks were set up in the carriages to handle inquiries and provide travel updates, with first-aid kits and portable power banks available, while a dedicated volunteer service post was arranged to offer full assistance to elderly, young, sick, disabled and pregnant passengers.

The Spring Festival travel rush is not just a trip, but a warm journey home. At 12:40 am, the train departed on time, filled with passengers' homebound hopes and festive cheer, marking a smooth, safe and celebratory start to China's 2026 Spring Festival travel rush.