As the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday comes to its end on Tuesday, holidaymakers across China are in a rush to embark on return trips by train, car or air, making the holiday traffic flow at peak.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Mooncake Festival, is traditionally a cherished occasion for family reunions, sparking an annual wave of travel to see loved ones or simply to enjoy time off from work and studies.
According to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway), the country's railway network is expected to handle 15.2 million passenger trips on Tuesday, with 1,030 additional train runs being operated.
The peak period of return trips by train will appear from 14:00 to 18:00 on the day, said China Railway.
Railway authorities have been closely monitoring weather conditions and the passenger flow during the holiday season and have increased train service frequency between popular destinations while ensuring safe operation.
"We have launched night-time high-speed train services from Nanning East Railway Station to Liuzhou, Baise, Hezhou, Yulin and Fangchenggang North stations in the province on Tuesday, the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Meanwhile, we have deployed 35 additional staff members in the ticket hall, and at security checkpoints and check-in points to guide passengers and ensure safety," said Deng Rui, station master on duty at Nanning East Railway Station of China Railway Nanning Bureau Group Co., Ltd.
As the impact of Typhoon Bebinca weakens, passenger train services on lines from Beijing to Shanghai, Shanghai to Kunming and Hangzhou to Shenzhen have gradually resumed operation.
China's highways are expected to carry more vehicles on Tuesday, especially in the afternoon, causing increasing congestions and higher traffic pressure.
There will also be a peak period for new energy vehicle (NEV) owners to charge their cars from 10:00 to 21:00, while charging facility operators across the country have stepped up efforts to ensure power supply.
At the Changshan service area on the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, employees of the State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Company have installed a system that can prevent fuel vehicles from occupying parking spaces reserved for electric vehicles, to ensure enough charging facilities for NEVs.
Huawei's first fully liquid-cooled supercharger station has been put into operation in Kuitun City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is capable of charging 12 NEVs at a same time.
"We will regularly conduct safety inspections on the charging station and screen against potential safety hazards, to provide safe, stable and reliable charging service for NEV owners," said Zhang Fengqi, an employee of the State Grid Kuitun Power Supply Company.
Meanwhile, the country's civil aviation sector is expected to handle 1.85 million passenger trips on Tuesday, an increase of 30.59 percent month on month.
China sees peak return trips as Mid-Autumn Festival holiday comes to end
