As China prepares for the upcoming 2026 May Day public holiday, national railway operator China State Railway Group has unveiled a tailored peak-season operating plan to address the expected surge in passenger travel demand, the company announced in a Wednesday media briefing.
The extended holiday travel window will span eight days from April 29 through May 6, aligning with the five-day official public holiday scheduled from May 1 to 5, and ticket sales for the travel period opened to the public the same day the plan was announced.
Industry analysts and railway officials project sustained high passenger volumes throughout the travel period, fueled by robust pent-up demand for family reunions, leisure tourism, and spring outings as mild spring weather draws travelers across the country.
To meet this projected demand, China’s nationwide railway network will operate an average of approximately 13,000 passenger trains daily over the travel period. Network capacity will be adjusted dynamically in real time, leveraging booking data collected from the country’s centralized 12306 ticketing platform to align service capacity with shifting travel patterns.
A key addition to this year’s peak service lineup is the expansion of overnight high-speed rail services, which will be deployed on major trunk routes including Beijing-Shanghai, Beijing-Guangzhou, and Beijing-Harbin during the busiest travel windows. Additional high-speed sleeper trains will also be added to key long-distance routes connecting major population and tourism hubs, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Kunming.
Railway authorities have also upgraded ticketing services to improve passenger experience this year, rolling out enhanced features such as streamlined waitlist booking and simplified seat selection. Ticket allocation will be adjusted in real time to better match unmet demand, and targeted support services have been rolled out to accommodate elderly and student travelers who may require additional assistance.
While the expanded service plan is designed to meet most travel demand, officials have warned that popular travel routes and peak departure windows are still likely to experience temporary ticket shortages. Wherever additional line capacity is available, extra train services will be arranged to clear backlogs, with newly released tickets prioritized for passengers already on waitlists for popular services.