Visitors enjoy the evening at a scenic area illuminated by lanterns in a variety of shapes and colors in Anji county, Zhejiang province, on Monday. PAN XUEKANG/XINHUA
For Zhang Yang and his family in Ankang, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, this year's National Day holiday was a memorable one. On Oct 1, following the opening of the Xi'aAn-Ankang high-speed railway, they took a direct high-speed train from Ankang to Yan'an, a city known for its revolutionary history.
The journey, which once took more than seven hours, now takes just over two hours.
The Zhang family was among millions on the move during the National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7, one of China's peak periods for travel and spending.
Data from the Ministry of Transport showed cross-regional passenger trips exceeded 300 million on each of the first three days of the holiday. China State Railway Group said the country's railways handled over 25.2 million passenger trips on Oct 1, setting a new single-day record.
For a country as vast as China, moving hundreds of millions of people during a holiday rush is a feat of scale. Behind this feat lies a transport network built up over decades.
By the end of 2025, China's comprehensive transport network spanned more than 6 million kilometers, including the world's largest high-speed rail network. High-speed railways, expressways, airports and ports connect cities, towns and rural areas across the country.
The network continues to expand. On Sept 28, China opened four major high-speed railway sections across northern, northwestern, central and northeastern China, with a combined length of more than 1,100 km. The new lines have shortened travel time and put more destinations within easy reach of families like Zhang's.
China's transport development goes beyond faster journeys. Better supporting services are also making travel more convenient.
New energy vehicles have become increasingly common among Chinese households and are now a popular choice for long-distance travel. The Ministry of Transport expects NEV trips on expressways during the holiday to reach 1.8 times the usual level, pushing up demand for charging services.
A young passenger prepares for departure at the Leshan Railway Station in Sichuan province on Tuesday as transportation hubs across China experience a surge in the number of travelers. LI HUASHI/FOR CHINA DAILY
China's extensive charging infrastructure is helping to meet this growing demand. The country now has more than 24 million electric vehicle charging facilities, forming the world's largest EV charging network. Highway service areas have about 89,000 charging facilities in total, covering virtually all service areas.
To handle the holiday peak, mobile emergency chargers have been added at key service areas, while drivers are being encouraged to leave after charging their batteries to 80 percent to improve turnover.
Faster connections and more convenient services are making it easier for travelers to visit more destinations in a single trip. Data from online travel platform Qunar showed that nearly 30 percent of travelers had booked hotels in at least two cities, while bookings involving stays in four or more cities surged 53 percent year on year.
The trend extends beyond China's borders. China's expanding transport links are supporting a rise in cross-border travel, with Chinese airlines operating regular international passenger routes connecting 177 cities in 80 countries.
The transport network that carries millions of travelers is also keeping goods moving, linking businesses and markets and sustaining economic activity across the country.
Even during the holiday, the Liujing operating area of Nanning Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region bustled with activity, amid the sound of ship horns and workers loading and unloading goods.
The increase in cargo traffic is closely linked to the opening of the Pinglu Canal. Stretching 134.2 km from Hengzhou in Guangxi to the Beibu Gulf, the canal opened to navigation on Sept 16, providing a shorter river-sea route for cargo from Southwest China to international markets.
Bulk cargo, including construction material, auto parts and grains, is being shipped from Nanning Port via Pinglu Canal to Beibu Gulf for export. On average, the route now handles an additional 20,000 tonnes of cargo per day.
"We expect to transport 200,000 tonnes of cargo during the National Day holiday," said You Tong, deputy manager of the production operations center at Nanning Port Development and Investment Co.
