China records over 845 mln passenger trips during Qingming Festival holiday

Passengers walk on 鸡西殡葬信息新闻网the platform of Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday. The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport. Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua)

BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. Waterway transport handled about 3.7 million passenger trips, an increase of 9.8 percent, and civil aviation carried approximately 5.5 million trips, down 1.3 percent.

The holiday travel boom was driven by the overlap of the Qingming Festival and spring breaks for primary and secondary school students in many regions, which boosted family trips and parent-child tours.

On Saturday, the first day of the holiday, the volume of traffic on expressways nationwide exceeded 62.67 million vehicles, including over 14 million new energy vehicles. This strong demand for self-driving trips fueled double-digit growth in spending on scenic spots, hotels and car rentals.

Returning home for tomb-sweeping and in-depth rural tours also boosted activity in rural areas, helping extend consumption from major cities to towns and villages.

To ensure safe and smooth travel, the ministry continued to exempt passenger cars with seven seats or fewer from expressway tolls during the holiday. It adopted tailored measures to ease congestion on busy sections and improve charging services for new energy vehicles at expressway service areas.

Transport departments across the country also increased transport capacity and extended operating hours around key locations, such as tourist sites and cemeteries. ■

Passengers walk after getting off a train at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station in east China's Shanghai, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Passengers check in at Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Passengers wait to board the train at Xuzhou East Railway Station in Xuzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Passengers are pictured at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station in east China's Shanghai, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Passengers check in at Fuzhou Railway Station in Fuzhou City, southeast China's Fujian Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Passengers wait to take the train at Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Passengers walk on the platform of Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Photo by Shi Jun/Xinhua)

Passengers check in at Lianyungang Railway Station in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Photo by Geng Yuhe/Xinhua)

Passengers walk on the platform of Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua)

Passengers walk after getting off a train at Guangzhou South Railway Station in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

High-speed trains stop at Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Passengers are pictured at the waiting hall of Guangzhou South Railway Station in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

Passengers walk to board the train at Lianyungang Railway Station in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Photo by Geng Yuhe/Xinhua)

A staff member helps a passenger at Lanzhou Railway Station in Lanzhou City, northwest China's Gansu Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Photo by Wang Guanghui/Xinhua)

Passengers are pictured at the waiting hall of Guangzhou South Railway Station in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province, on April 6, 2026. An estimated 845.38 million passenger trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, up 6 percent year on year, transportation authorities said on Monday.

The daily average number of trips reached 281.79 million, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Road trips accounted for 778.45 million, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, while railway trips hit 57.68 million, up 8.2 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

Staff members conduct an accident response via a drone video transmission system at the expressway brigade of the traffic management bureau in north China's Tianjin, April 6, 2026 An estimated 778.45 million road trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Transport. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

A traffic police operates a drone to conduct patrols at a toll station of an expressway in north China's Tianjin, April 6, 2026. An estimated 778.45 million road trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Transport. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

Vehicles pass through a toll station of an expressway in north China's Tianjin, April 6, 2026. An estimated 778.45 million road trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Transport. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

A drone photo taken on April 6, 2026 shows a drone conducting patrols over an expressway in north China's Tianjin. An estimated 778.45 million road trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Transport. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

An aerial drone photo taken on April 6, 2026 shows vehicles running on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. An estimated 778.45 million road trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Transport. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on April 6, 2026 shows vehicles running on an expressway in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. An estimated 778.45 million road trips were made across China during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, rising 5.8 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Transport. (Photo by Chen Wei/Xinhua)