Chinese Migration in Lunar New Year 2025: Know All About Chunyun Period or China's Spring Festival Travel Rush, the World's Largest Annual Migration
During the Lunar New Year, millions of people across China travel to celebrate the festival with their loved ones. The Lunar New Year travel rush, known as Chunyun in Chinese, is seen as a measure of China’s economic health and tests its transportation system. Here’s all you need to know.
The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, is celebrated every year on a grand scale by billions of people across the globe. The Lunar New Year 2025 falls on Wednesday, January 29, and the celebrations will continue for 15 days. During this time, millions of people travel across the country to visit their families and celebrate the festival with loved ones in their hometowns. Others travel during the holidays for vacations and sightseeing, making it the world’s largest annual human migration. The Lunar New Year travel rush, known as Chunyun in Chinese, is also seen as a measure of China’s economic health and a test of its massive transportation system. Here’s all you need to know. Lucky Food for Chinese New Year 2025: From Spring Rolls and Noodles to Rice Balls and Steamed Fish, Traditional Food Items to Eat for Good Fortune in the Year of the Wood Snake.
For How Long Will the Lunar New Year Travel Rush Last?
The Lunar New Year 2025 travel rush began on Tuesday, January 14, and it will last for around 40 days, ending on Saturday, February 22. The official Spring Festival holidays in China, marking the New Year celebrations, will run from January 28 to February 4.
How Many Trips Are Officials Expecting?
Officials are estimating a record 9 billion domestic trips during the 40 days. It is an increase in number from the approximate 8.4 billion trips that were logged last year.
How Will People Travel?
This year, road trips are expected to dominate with 7.2 billion journeys, making up about 80% of all the travel. Train travel is estimated to have a record 510 million trips, a 5.5% increase from last year, and air travel is expected to exceed 90 million trips.
What Are the Popular Destinations?
According to reports, some of the most popular air travel destinations are Beijing, Chengdu, Xian, Harbin, and Chongqing. Some of the most popular rail travel destinations are Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Hangzhou and Nanjing. Flights to Osaka, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Singapore also seem to be in demand.
How Many Trips Are Expected on Day 1?
On the first day of Chunyun, domestic travel is expected to total 172.39 million trips. This includes 159.52 million by road, 10.3 million by rail, 2.04 million by air, and 5,30,000 trips by waterways.
What Has Changed This Year?
This year, the official Spring Festival holidays have been extended by China to eight days. The visa-free entry policy now applies to 38 countries, including Japan and South Korea, and the stay period too has been doubled to 30 days. For eligible transit travellers, the permitted stay has been increased from six days to 10 days. Chinese New Year 2025: What Does ‘Year of the Wood Snake’ Mean? Chinese Zodiac Predictions and What to Expect in the Lunar Year.
The Lunar New Year travel rush is a massive annual event that highlights China’s cultural importance. It is a time for celebration, reunions, and creating strong connections.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 16, 2025 10:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).