China anticipates a record 9 billion domestic trips during the upcoming 40-day Lunar New Year travel season, despite economic challenges.
The travel rush, which starts on January 14, is expected to see people journey to and from their hometowns for the festivities.
Last year, authorities also predicted 9 billion trips but recorded around 8.4 billion. This year, self-driving road trips are expected to account for 80% of journeys, followed by train and air travel, according to Li Chunlin from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The Lunar New Year comes as China’s economy struggles to recover from three years of pandemic restrictions and a prolonged property market crisis. While exports provide some relief, potential U.S. tariffs under the incoming Trump administration could add pressure.
Recent government measures, including interest rate cuts and consumer goods trade-in programs, have not yet delivered a strong recovery.
The Ministry of Transport revised its travel metrics in 2023 to include self-driving trips on major expressways and expanded it further in 2024 to include additional highways.
In comparison, 2.98 billion trips were made during the 2019 Spring Festival travel period before the pandemic. This year, train trips are forecast to hit a record 510 million, up 5.5% from last year, while 90 million plane trips are also expected, another record, according to NDRC officials.
