A passenger receives a Chinese New Year poster on the K212/209 train at Ningbo Railway Station on Jan 17, 2024. [Photo/IC]

The 2025 Spring Festival travel rush, from Jan 14 to Feb 22, is expected to set new records in East China's Zhejiang province.

According to the provincial Spring Festival travel coordination meeting held in Hangzhou on Dec 31, 2024, an estimated 575 million trips will be made, nearly 10 percent more than the number in 2024. This increase follows the extension of the Spring Festival holiday to eight days, now including Chinese New Year's Eve (the last day of the lunar calendar year).

Travel demand will peak in predictable waves: two weeks before the holiday, on the final day of the vacation, and around Lantern Festival (Feb 12). A mix of student travel, family visits, migrant workers, and tourists will drive this surge across various transport networks.

Road travel will be the most significant contributor, with an anticipated 464 million trips, boosted by free highway tolls.

Domestic and international tourism also continues to rise, supported by consumer incentives and increasing demand. Popular tourist sites in Zhejiang are expected to see a sharp increase in visitors during this period.

Though temperatures are expected to be warmer than usual, occasional cold spells may bring rain, snow, or ice, affecting travel conditions. Provincial authorities are closely monitoring the weather to minimize disruptions.

Zhejiang has set up a province-wide coordination system to manage the travel rush. Local governments are working together to streamline transportation and ensure smooth operations. The focus is on making travel as efficient, safe, and stress-free as possible for all passengers.