National Travel Volume Down 6.8% Year-Over-Year Before Holiday

China's Ministry of Transport announced that on September 30, 2026, the day before the National Day holiday, total inter-regional passenger flow reached 219.35 million trips. This figure represents a 6.8% decrease compared to the same day last year, although it was a 29.3% increase from the previous month.

The data indicates a significant drop in overall travel volume when compared to the previous year's figures. Specifically, railway passenger volume stood at 19.54 million, an increase of 5.8% year-over-year. Road transport, which includes travel on highways and ordinary roads, saw 196.54 million passengers, a decrease of 8.1% from the previous year.

Other transport sectors also showed varying trends. Air travel recorded 2.45 million passengers, a slight increase of 1.2% year-over-year. Water transport saw 822,000 passengers, an increase of 13.7% compared to the previous year.

The report details the breakdown of travel across different modes of transportation on the eve of the holiday, highlighting a general trend of reduced regional mobility compared to the prior year.