China, October 2026 — China’s railway network experienced substantial passenger demand during the country’s autumn holiday period, reflecting the importance of rail transport for intercity travel. China State Railway Group reported more than 250 million passenger trips between 23 September and 7 October as millions of travellers returned home and visited destinations across the country.
On the final day of the National Day holiday, the railway operator expected to handle approximately 24.15 million passenger trips. To accommodate return journeys, operators planned to introduce 2,449 additional passenger train services. China Railway Beijing Group also arranged extra services to destinations including Harbin, Shenyang, Dalian and Datong, while China Railway Shanghai Group scheduled 210 overnight high-speed train services to meet demand.
Regional operators also expanded capacity in response to passenger forecasts. Guangzhou’s railway operator planned 765 additional services connecting Beijing and destinations across the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta. The measures demonstrate how operators use additional train frequency and overnight operations to manage concentrated travel demand during major national holidays.
The travel surge followed the opening of four major high-speed railway sections on 28 September, adding more than 1,100 kilometres to China’s network. These developments highlight the continued expansion of the country’s high-speed rail infrastructure alongside efforts to accommodate growing intercity mobility requirements.
China’s holiday travel operations illustrate the importance of flexible scheduling, capacity planning and coordinated network management in large-scale railway systems. As passenger volumes increase during peak periods, operators must balance service frequency, infrastructure capacity and operational reliability to maintain efficient journeys across an extensive national network.
Source: Global Times
China Records More Than 250 Million Railway Passenger Trips During Holiday Period
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Major holiday travel periods place significant demands on railway capacity, requiring operators to adjust train frequency and manage passenger flows across busy corridors. China recorded more than 250 million railway passenger trips during the combined Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day travel period from 23 September to 7 October 2026, prompting additional services across the national network.
