China has seen a peak in return trips on Sunday, the final day of the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, as millions hit the roads and waterways, particularly in major populous city clusters.
According to the latest real-time data from the road network center at the Ministry of Transport, the country's expressway network is expected to register an average daily traffic volume of around 41 million vehicles during the holiday period.
The national road system has entered a phase of steady growth in return traffic flows, with volumes building up progressively through the final day.
Traffic pressure is most acute on inbound corridors of four key city clusters: the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.
Major trunk expressways, including the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao, Beijing-Shanghai, Shenyang-Haikou and Shanghai-Chongqing routes, are recording heavy inbound traffic as vehicles stream back from surrounding areas into core urban centers.
The heaviest congestion is concentrated at urban ring roads, expressway entry ramps and key interchanges. Transport authorities have reminded drivers to reduce speed and maintain safe following distances.
Roads surrounding popular tourist attractions are also seeing rising traffic volumes as holidaymakers wrap up their visits and depart for home.
Local transport departments set up diversion and guidance signs at the exits of major scenic areas to help vehicles rejoin the expressways in an orderly manner, advising drivers to refuel or recharge at service areas rather than stopping on emergency lanes.
On waterways, transport services have been running at high capacity to meet holiday demand. In the Zhenjiang section of the Yangtze River, 18 ferry routes and one riverside cruise route along the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze main waterway operated more than 4,600 voyages in the first two days of the holiday, carrying over 155,000 passengers and 69,000 vehicles.
For the entire Mid-Autumn holiday period, total voyages are projected to top 7,000, with passenger volume exceeding 233,000 and vehicle volume surpassing 102,000.
To ensure safe and smooth travel, maritime authorities have stepped up traffic management, real-time information alerts and navigation assistance services in key ferry waters.
Patrol vessels are stationed on-site during peak hours and at night to fully safeguard the lives and property of river-crossing passengers.
China sees return travel rush on final day of mid-autumn holiday
