Since the start of this year’s summer transportation guarantee on July 1st, cross-regional travel in China has seen steady growth. According to the Ministry of Transport, the daily average number of passengers during the summer season has reached 170 million, marking a 2.6% increase year-on-year. Multiple departments, including highways, railways, and civil aviation, have optimized services to meet this demand, contributing to a booming summer transportation market.
To accommodate the surge in travel, new high-speed rail lines have been introduced, catering to the rising demand for summer vacations, family trips, study tours, and graduation travels. The railway department is leveraging its resources in passenger transportation and tourism to offer more convenient and comfortable options, such as additional trains and special tourist routes. For example, the newly opened Lanzhou-Wuwei section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway now connects Wuwei, Gansu to the national high-speed rail network. This has led to a nearly 60% year-on-year increase in passenger volume in the Wuwei area.
The Chi-Huang high-speed railway, linking Chizhou and Mount Huangshan, has expanded access to scenic spots along the Yangtze River Delta loop line. Meanwhile, tourist trains through picturesque landscapes—from the summer resort of Alshan to the snowcapped mountains, plateaus, and lakes of Xinjiang—offer passengers the chance to fully enjoy China’s natural beauty.
In addition, the railway department has launched special tourist trains that incorporate local customs and traditions, enhancing the travel experience. “The main reason for choosing to travel to Alshan by train is to enjoy the landscape, especially when crossing mountains, rivers, or rural areas. The view from the train is unique,” said one passenger.
Han Guoqing, manager of Shentie Culture and Tourism Group’s Changchun Branch, highlighted the advantages of railway tourism: “We fully utilize the mobile tourism benefits of railway trains, which integrate transportation, accommodation, and entertainment. We carefully design itineraries and provide professional guides, especially for elderly passengers, to ensure their safe and enjoyable travel.”
Civil aviation has also seen a significant uptick, with the total number of passengers expected to reach 133 million this summer, averaging 2.15 million daily. Popular domestic routes remain concentrated between major city clusters such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao, and Chengdu-Chongqing. Airlines have responded by increasing capacity and adding flights to meet passenger needs.
Yu Shuangbo, Deputy Manager of the Flight Planning Department of China Southern Airlines, noted that the airline has added over 40 new flights on key routes in Xinjiang, Southwest, and North China, with more than 3,500 overtime flights scheduled. New routes have also been launched from Northeast China and central regions to popular destinations such as Altay, Dali, and Linzhi.
“The opening of new high-speed rail lines, especially those passing through major tourist attractions, has created more ‘high-speed rail plus tourism’ formats,” said Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Research Institute.
As international passenger flights resume to nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels and more visa-free destinations become available, China’s outbound tourism market is also experiencing a strong recovery. With the ongoing support of highways, railways, and civil aviation, the summer transportation market in China remains vibrant and full of potential.
