The annual Spring Festival travel rush, known as Chunyun, continues to showcase China’s remarkable transportation evolution through the personal journeys of ordinary citizens. Feng Xianzhen from Guigang in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region recently completed her homecoming trip in a manner dramatically different from just eight years ago.
This year, Feng and her husband fulfilled their family promise by driving their new energy vehicle home for the traditional reunion, arriving at the Kangzhou South Integrated Energy Station along National Highway G321. The modern service station, part of Sinopec’s network of 700 energy stations providing specialized Spring Festival services, offered free charging, refueling, and food for travelers—a far cry from Feng’s previous travel experiences.
In 2018, the 38-year-old mother and her husband were part of the renowned ‘motorcycle army’ that characterized Spring Festival migrations. Their journey then involved braving the elements on a motorcycle with their four-year-old son, whose face would become flushed from the prolonged exposure to cold weather during the arduous trip.
The transformation from motorcycle to new energy vehicle mirrors China’s broader transportation infrastructure development and the growing adoption of eco-friendly travel options. Sinopec’s large-scale initiative during the travel rush period demonstrates how state-owned enterprises are supporting the world’s largest annual human migration event, which sees hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens returning to their hometowns.
The bright red service tents at energy stations across the country now serve as modern waypoints that contrast sharply with the makeshift rest stops that once served the motorcycle armies. This evolution in travel comfort and convenience reflects both technological progress and improved living standards across China’s regions.