China's expanding high-speed rail network is making Spring Festival travel faster and smoother, easing the journey home for millions of holiday travelers.
In second- and third-tier cities, such as Tonghua in northeast China's Jilin Province, the impact has been clear since the Shenyang-Baihe high-speed railway opened in September 2025, linking the area to the high-speed network.
Previously, Tonghua had no high-speed service, and it was pretty difficult to secure a train ticket during the Spring Festival travel rush.
"In the past, there was only one train per direction each day. During the Spring Festival travel rush, trains to Shenyang, Beijing, or Qingdao were packed on every trip," said Song Jianmin, an engineer from China Railway Shenyang Bureau Group.
"Tickets were so tight that many people from surrounding areas would arrive at the station a day early, sleeping in the ticket hall just to buy a ticket and get home sooner," said Geng Qiusheng, secretary of Communist Party of China (CPC) branch of Tonghua Railway Station.
The opening of the Shenyang-Baihe high-speed railway changed everything. Now, 27 passenger trains are running daily on the Tonghua-Shenyang rail route.
With the 40-day travel rush starting on Feb 2, inter-regional trips are expected to hit a record 9.5 billion. For travelers in Tonghua, the trip has been much more easier this year.
"After the high-speed train service was put into operation, it became incredibly convenient. It now takes just three and a half hours from Tonghua to Beijing. We can go to Beijing anytime and return easily," said a passenger surnamed Cui.
Tonghua's modern new station boasts over 10,000 square meters of waiting space, more than 80 free charging points and smart customer service facilities, enabling smoother and more comfortable trip for travelers.
China's expanding high-speed rail makes Spring Festival travel easier
