More than 320 million inter-regional passenger trips were expected across China on Wednesday, the 18th day of this year's 40-day Spring Festival travel rush period and the second day of the Chinese New Year, according to data released by the Ministry of Transport.
This figure marks a sharp 43.1 percent growth from the previous day, the Chinese New Year, with family reunions and tourism overlapping to fuel a surge in short-distance travel.
Nationwide, railways were expecting to handle 10.8 million passenger trips, up 78.5 percent from Tuesday.
To meet this surge, rail operators were planning to run an additional 476 passenger trains on Wednesday.
Highway traffic was projected to surpass 50 million vehicle trips, putting pressure on roads around popular tourist sites.
Around 2.48 million passenger trips on planes were also expected on Wednesday.
Routes from major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Chongqing to tourist cities such as Harbin and Kunming are the most popular, with many airlines boosting capacity on those high-demand routes.
The travel rush, also known as chunyun, which runs from Feb 2 to March 13 this year, is expected to see a record 9.5 billion inter-regional passenger trips across the country.
Over 320 mln inter-regional passenger trips expected on Day 18 of Spring Festival travel rush
As another dazzling China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala drew to a close on early Tuesday morning, sign language performers infused the closing song "Unforgettable Tonight" with heartfelt emotion, allowing viewers with disabilities to share in the celebration and experience every touching note alongside millions of families across China.
For four decades, the final moments of the gala have belonged to "Unforgettable Tonight." For generations, the eve of the Chinese New Year isn't complete until its familiar melody fills living rooms. "Unforgettable Tonight" is not just a song but a cherished tradition that carries the weight of a nation's shared memories and hopes.
Inside a modest rehearsal room, the magic of "barrier-free broadcasting" came alive, as the production team worked to ensure that the visually and hearing-impaired could experience the full energy and emotion of the gala, just like everyone else.
"It might look like sign language is just a set of gestures. But it's so much more. It includes facial expressions, the dynamics, and the tempo of each movement. Every detail expresses the rhythms, melodies, and emotions in the music. As you can see, for this year's 'Unforgettable Tonight' with a lighter tone, the performers made it look effortless, swaying gently as they signed. But if the style changes, so does our signing. We can make it powerful too," said Zhao Zhihui, head of barrier-free broadcasting for the gala.
Last year, the team was challenged by an operatic version of the song, and the sign language mirrored the grandeur: delivered with robust energy and the muscular grace of Chinese opera. But in 2026, the approach was intentionally more intimate. Performers strove to capture even the subtlest change in mood.
"When it was the opera version, our signing was powerful and vigorous, capturing the strength and depth of traditional Chinese opera. This year, we wanted every delicate shift on stage to be fully shared by our visually and hearing-impaired audiences," Zhao shared.
During rehearsal, as the melody of "Unforgettable Tonight" flowed through the room and interpreters began their own choreography, the song revealed a beauty beyond sound and lyrics. Their hands, faces, and movements became a new language of expression, resonating with everyone present.
"It's not really about singing a song. It's about channeling all the emotions we've built up through so many years of the Chinese New Year. The gestures required for this song are simple, just a few basic movements. But every time you perform them, it feels different. Especially the final sign, the emotions are always deeper. Because that moment carries several months of hard work. When you finally succeed and think about 'Unforgettable Tonight,' you realize, what is 'tonight'? It's actually the past months of preparation and effort, all leading to that one final moment when we share the Gala's wonderful performances with every single member of our audience," said Zhao.
Sign language performers bring fresh life to beloved song at Spring Festival Gala
