Beijing, June 2, 2025 – The Europe Today: China recorded a significant year-on-year increase of 10.8 percent in inter-regional travel on the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, according to data released by the Ministry of Transport on Sunday.
On Saturday, May 31—the opening day of the three-day holiday—more than 230.97 million inter-regional trips were made across the country, reflecting heightened mobility and festive enthusiasm among the population.
Road travel remained the dominant mode of transportation, accounting for approximately 209.99 million trips, which represents a 11.3 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
The railway sector also witnessed notable growth, with nearly 18.12 million passenger trips, marking a 5 percent year-on-year rise. Waterway transport saw the largest proportional growth, with 959,000 passenger trips recorded—an increase of 21.3 percent from the previous year.
Meanwhile, air travel remained steady, with 1.911 million passenger trips handled by airlines, reflecting a stable trend compared to the previous year.
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday observed on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, the festival fell on May 31, with public celebrations and travel continuing through June 2.
The surge in travel activity underscores the robust recovery of domestic tourism and transportation sectors, and highlights the cultural significance of the Dragon Boat Festival as families and individuals reunite and participate in traditional celebrations across the nation.
