Holiday travel enters return peak on day 6 of China's 'Golden Week'

China saw a National Day holiday return trip peak on Sunday, with the Ministry of Transport estimating over 282 million cross-regional trips taking place on the sixth day of the country's "Golden Week."

The National Day holiday, also known as "golden week," is usually one of the peak seasons on China's domestic tourism calendar.

Holidaymakers across the country headed home by train, car and air on the day, with the estimated volume of total trips 6.5 percent up from the same period last year. Railways in particular are expected to handle 18.73 million passengers, with 1,432 additional trains scheduled.

The national railway network has been handling over 17 million passengers for six consecutive days since the holiday travel rush started.

Highways across the country continue to maintain high volumes of traffic, mostly from return trips.

The nation's capital Beijing saw significant increases of traffic flow entering the city on major highways.

Meanwhile, the country's civil aviation sector is expected to transport more than 2.34 million passengers on the same day. Airlines within China have handled over 11.4 million passengers in the first five days of the holiday.

Holiday travel enters return peak on day 6 of China's 'Golden Week'

Holiday travel enters return peak on day 6 of China's 'Golden Week'

Holiday travel enters return peak on day 6 of China's 'Golden Week'

Five Palestinians, including three children, were killed on Wednesday evening in an Israeli strike on the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian security and medical sources said.

A relative of one of the deceased children said a group of young people and children were sitting on the ground when the strike occurred, adding that a drone targeted them for no reason at all.

"A group of young people were sitting on the ground as usual, while Israel conducted a reconnaissance operation. Suddenly, they were targeted in a drone strike without any reason. Most of them were children. There were about five children. They were just sitting there peacefully," he said.

The health authorities in Gaza said that since the latest round of large-scale conflict between Palestine and Israel began on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have killed 72,562 people and injured 172,320 others. And since the announcement of a ceasefire on Oct. 10, 2025, 786 Palestinians have been killed and 2,217 others injured by Israeli attacks.

Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza kills several children