China expects record 9.5 billion trips for Lunar New Year travel rush

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China’s Lunar New Year travel period, known as “chunyun,” is expected to set a new benchmark for holiday movement as the country prepares for the Feb. 17 festival. China’s government estimates that 9.5 billion trips will be made during the 40-day stretch around the holiday, a record that reflects how tens of millions of workers try to fit rare leave into a tightly packed calendar.

Beijing was among the places where that pressure was visible, with passengers crowding waiting areas and carrying large bags and suitcases as they waited for trains. At stations, travelers also turned to readily available snacks such as instant noodles, where stations provide hot water.

In the case of Liu Zhiquan, the trip starts from work in Beijing and runs to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, about 1,242 miles (2,000 kilometers) away. He described planning a journey of more than 30 hours to reach home ahead of the festival, with the choice reflecting how costs can shape travel decisions during the chunyun period.

Liu said he chose a slower train specifically to save money, noting that a high-speed train would take about nine hours but cost more than twice as much. He said conditions have made travel and planning harder, saying, “Things feel worse this year than last. The economy is bad and it’s getting harder to make money,” and he still chose to make the longer trip to be home for the Spring Festival.

He pointed to the festival as the one time of year when workers across China typically take a break and spend time with loved ones. The expectation of a year-end reunion is part of why the holiday travel surge draws such scale: officials estimate the 9.5 billion trips will include 540 million by train and 95 million by air, with the remainder made on the road.

For many travelers, the motivation is family time rather than leisure. Tian Duofu, who said she recently started working full time in Beijing, said she was looking forward to the nine-day holiday beginning Feb. 15 and described how it has become more difficult for a large family to get together after she entered full-time work.

Tian said, “It has become more difficult for a big family to get together. After I started working, I realized such a long holiday is rare and we see each other less and less in person, which makes the Spring Festival significant.” Her remarks echoed a broader theme that with long hours and few days of annual leave, the Spring Festival remains a key moment when family members can meet in person.

Another Beijing-based traveler, Tian Yunxia, described running a breakfast stall and said she planned to go home from Henan. She said, “The new year is the festival of the year, and if we don’t go back home, we won’t be able to enjoy the festival atmosphere,” adding that she wanted to see “my children, my grandchildren and my husband.”