While international crossings set new post-pandemic highs, domestic mobility also reached staggering levels. The Ministry of Transport told Xinhua that 2.142 billion cross-regional passenger movements occurred nationwide from 1 to 7 October—roughly three trips for every resident. Rail travel grew fastest, with 151.9 million journeys, up 12.7 percent on last year. Highways still carried the bulk of traffic—1.962 billion trips—but volumes fell 0.3 percent as more travellers opted for 350 km/h high-speed rail. Civil aviation held steady with 16.9 million passengers. Analysts say the modal shift eases pressure on toll-road congestion and bodes well for low-carbon goals. For HR teams overseeing domestic assignments or multi-city training programmes, the figures reinforce the need to build slack into travel schedules around public holidays. Ticket allocations on trunk rail routes sold out within minutes of release, prompting some firms to charter coaches or shift sessions online. The ministry pledged to expand e-ticket quotas and roll out real-name boarding across all privately operated inter-city buses before next year’s Lunar New Year rush, a change that will give companies greater visibility over employees’ whereabouts in emergencies.
Source: Xinhua
