Spring travel rush unfolds as journeys home begin across China

As the tide of spring rises, the pull of home grows stronger. China's 2026 Spring Festival travel rush officially began on Feb. 2 and will run through March 13, lasting 40 days. An estimated 9.5 billion cross-regional passenger trips are expected nationwide, marking a record high. This annual migration, driven by reunion and hope, paints a warm portrait of a mobile China. High-speed trains speeding ahead, fully prepared carriages, festive decorations and cheerful onboard activities all add warmth to the journey home. Railway, public security and transportation authorities have joined forces to enhance patrols, safety checks, anti-fraud outreach and passenger assistance, fulfilling the commitment to a safe, orderly and caring Spring Festival travel season.

Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2026 shows a high-speed train speeding across the Heihe Bridge along the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway in Zhangye City, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Yang Xiao/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken in the early hours of Feb. 2, 2026 shows rows of fully serviced EMU trains ready for departure at the Nanjing South EMU depot of Nanjing EMU Maintenance Center in Nanjing City, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Fang Dongxu/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2026 shows a child displaying a Year of the Horse paper-cut created on the spot by an intangible cultural heritage inheritor during a Spring Festival blessing activity at Xiangyang East Railway Station in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province. (Yang Dong/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2026 shows a warm and festive scene aboard Train Z392 from Fuzhou to Chengdu, where crew members from the Fuzhou Passenger Transport Section's Chengdu team host an onboard celebration themed "Safe, Orderly and Warm Spring Travel" to accompany passengers on their journey home. (Wang Wangwang/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2026 shows more than 700 passengers boarding Train K4069 at Beijing West Railway Station, posing for photos to capture the heartwarming moment as they set off for family reunions. (Niu Yungang/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2026 shows police officers from Ningguo City traffic police brigade placing "Safe Journey Home" window paper-cuts on coaches at key transport hubs in Ningguo City, east China's Anhui Province, blending Spring Festival cheer with road safety reminders. (Gao Peng/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2026 shows staff members assisting passengers with travel inquiries at Qingdao North Railway Station in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province. (Zhang Ying/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2026 shows police officers and auxiliary police conducting patrols, anti-fraud awareness campaigns and passenger assistance services at transport hubs in Baoying County, Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, as part of the "Warm Journeys, Safe Spring Travel" campaign. (Shen Dongbing/Guangming Picture)