2026 Spring Festival travel rush begins with energy in Shijiazhuang

The 2026 Spring Festival travel rush commenced on Monday, marking the start of a 40-day period where a massive movement of people is expected across China. Transport hubs in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, reported robust passenger flows on the first day.

Shijiazhuang's railway stations handled 151,000 passenger trips on the first day of the travel season, according to Shijiazhuang Railway Station. It's forecast that the city's 11 stations will serve around 5.75 million trips throughout the period, which will last until March 13.

To manage the surge, 74 additional pairs of trains have been scheduled at Shijiazhuang Railway Station. Major destinations include Beijing, Xi'an in Shaanxi province, and Wuhan in Hubei province.

Multiple service upgrades have been implemented to improve the travel experience. These include setting up priority channels for passengers checking in late, launching a service zone with dedicated areas for key passengers like the elderly and children, and introducing shared wheelchairs for barrier-free access throughout the station.

At Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport, passenger volume saw a year-on-year increase of 21.2 percent on the first day, according to the airport.

Popular flight destinations are Chengdu in Sichuan province, Harbin in Heilongjiang province, Sanya in Hainan province, and Shanghai.

Travelers are advised to plan ahead, arrive early, and check the latest travel information for a seamless trip.

Video by Yuan Xiaohua and Wang He