The China Tourism Academy has forecast that, over the course of the week, over 532 million domestic trips are expected to be made. (Photo : Reuters)
Travelers who made the most out of their weeklong National Day holiday, which began on Thursday, Oct. 1, are starting to return home. They face a hurdle, however: an estimated four-day traffic peak and the onslaught of crowds.
The China Tourism Academy has said that, over the course of the week, over 532 million domestic trips are expected to be made.
Last Monday, Oct. 5, approximately 10.8 million passenger trips were made by the railways. Figures are expected to double and even triple in the following days, according to representatives from the China Railway Corp. To accommodate the influx of crowds returning home, the railway added 315 trains to their roster on Monday.
Traffic advisories were also announced by the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, who warned of heavy traffic particularly on the last two days of the holiday. According to the bureau, crowds will be concentrated around popular parks and other tourist destinations. Expect larger-than-usual crowds in the afternoons and evenings as well, officials said.
Due to the projected four-day traffic peak near Beijing's railways and airports, the bureau also warned drivers against recklessness. Over the past five years, the death toll in road traffic accidents during the long holiday had increased 7.8 percent on average each year.
Other traffic police offices located in Wuhan, Hebei Province and Jiangsu Province advised travelers to leave for their respective destinations early in the afternoon to avoid heavy highway congestion.
The National Day holiday and the weeklong Spring Festival are much-awaited holidays in the country that provide people plenty of opportunity for relaxation and recreation.
Despite the popularity of these two long holidays, some people chose to stay at home instead of braving the crowds and the heavy traffic.
"Traveling for what? Looking at people? It's not just the traffic, but also the crowds and the tourist traps," said 32-year-old Liu Xin from Beijing. "I'd rather stay at home watch some movies. If I want to go out, I will go some other time."
