China braces for peak in passenger return trips as Spring Festival holiday ends

Passengers head to board trains at Yinchuan Railway Station in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Feb. 23, 2026. China's national railway operator said on Monday that Feb. 23, the last day of a nine-day Spring Festival holiday, will most likely see the highest peak in passenger return journeys, forecasting that up to 18.5 million trips will be made via the railway system on this day. China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. said that the expected trips on Monday will follow the nearly 18.3 million passenger journeys made on the previous day. An additional 2,297 trains will be operated on Monday to cater to the huge travel demand, it added. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen)

Passengers queue up to check in at Yinchuan Railway Station in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Feb. 23, 2026. China's national railway operator said on Monday that Feb. 23, the last day of a nine-day Spring Festival holiday, will most likely see the highest peak in passenger return journeys, forecasting that up to 18.5 million trips will be made via the railway system on this day. China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. said that the expected trips on Monday will follow the nearly 18.3 million passenger journeys made on the previous day. An additional 2,297 trains will be operated on Monday to cater to the huge travel demand, it added. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 23, 2026 shows the traffic flow on an expressway in Liping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. China witnessed an increase of passenger trips on Monday as this year's Spring Festival holiday is coming to an end. (Photo by Long Jianrui/Xinhua)

Passengers walk out of the arrivals hall of Terminal 2 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 23, 2026. China witnessed an increase of passenger trips on Monday as this year's Spring Festival holiday is coming to an end. (Xinhua/Wu Lu)

This photo taken on Feb. 23, 2026 shows the traffic flow on a ring expressway in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. China witnessed an increase of passenger trips on Monday as this year's Spring Festival holiday is coming to an end. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 23, 2026 shows the traffic flow on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. China witnessed an increase of passenger trips on Monday as this year's Spring Festival holiday is coming to an end. (Photo by Liu Jianhua/Xinhua)