China expects 1.52 billion trips during May Day holiday

(ECNS) - China expects a record 1.52 billion cross-regional trips during the upcoming May Day holiday, with daily travel averaging more than 300 million, an official said on Tuesday.

The figure represents a 4% increase from a year earlier, with the first day of the holiday expected to see a record of 344 million trips, according to Gao Bo, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Transport's transport services department.

Highway travel will dominate holiday mobility, accounting for about 91.6% of total trips, Gao told a press briefing. Daily highway traffic is expected to reach around 64 million vehicles, with a peak of up to 70 million on May 1.

New energy vehicles will make up a growing share of road traffic, with daily volumes projected at 15.4 million, or about 24% of total highway traffic, up 33% year-on-year.

Rail and air travel are also expected to remain elevated, with passenger volumes forecast at 107 million and 11.75 million, respectively.

Authorities will continue toll-free policies for private cars on highways during the holiday and deploy additional resources on busy routes to alleviate congestion, Gao said.

Officials are also increasing charging capacity for electric vehicles at highway service areas and boosting transport capacity in major tourist destinations.

(By Zhang Jiahao)