China reports sharp drop in Spring Festival travel

A staff member assists passengers at Dazhou Railway Station in Dazhou, southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 8, 2021. March 8 marks the last day of this year's Spring Festival travel rush. During the travel rush, spanning from Jan. 28 to March 8 this year, an estimated 870 million trips were made nationwide. It plunged by 40.8 percent from the previous year, and 70.9 percent less than that of the 2019 Spring Festival travel rush. Many Chinese people opted to stay put during the Spring Festival holiday this year in response to the government's call to avoid unnecessary gatherings as part of anti-epidemic measures. (Photo by Deng Liangkui/Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China's passenger trips declined significantly during this year's Spring Festival travel rush, official data showed Monday.

During the travel rush, spanning from Jan. 28 to March 8 this year, an estimated 870 million trips were made nationwide. It plunged by 40.8 percent from the previous year, according to the State Council joint prevention and control mechanism against COVID-19.

The figure was also 70.9 percent less than that of the 2019 Spring Festival travel rush.

China's railways, however, handled 220 million passenger trips, up by 3.5 percent from last year's travel rush. Trips via roads were down by 50.2 percent to 600 million.

Passenger trips via waterways amounted to 15.34 million, up by 24.5 percent from the 2020 travel rush, while air trips dropped by 8.5 percent to 35.37 million.

Many Chinese people opted to stay put during the Spring Festival holiday this year in response to the government's call to avoid unnecessary gatherings as part of anti-epidemic measures. Enditem