Nine billion journeys: China's spectacular migration begins!

Nine billion journeys: China's spectacular migration begins!

China begins the world's largest annual migration, known as Chunyun, which takes place as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. This year's travel season extends from February 2 to March 13, 2026, with estimates suggesting more than nine billion trips will be made. [Merkur] reports that 9.025 billion individual trips were already counted last year, 2025.

The immense number of trips is mainly due to the tradition of 1.4 billion Chinese traveling to relatives and friends to celebrate the New Year together. Road traffic in particular remains dominant, as around 80% of travelers travel by car or coach. Rail and air transport are also recording an increase: in 2025, 8.4 billion journeys were made by car or coach, 513 million by train and 90 million by plane.

Forecasts and records for 2026

An increase to 9.5 billion trips is forecast for the New Year 2026. Mindelmedia added that China Railway expects to operate around 539 million trains during the Chunyun period - five percent more than last year. Airports are expected to see a record 95 million passengers arriving or departing, requiring impressive logistics.

Preparation for high demand has already begun, with cities like Shanghai expecting a five percent increase in visitors, equivalent to nearly 50 million individuals. On average, around 19,400 flights per day take place during the travel period to cope with the wave of travel.

Challenges and changes in travel behavior

Travel behavior within China has also changed in recent years. Interest in domestic tourism during Lunar New Year is growing, with a particular focus on snowy and warmer destinations. Millions of Chinese tourists are also taking the opportunity to travel abroad, leading to a surge in visitors to international destinations, even as countries like Japan have become less popular due to travel warnings and political tensions.

There is also tremendous pressure on traffic during the Chunyun period. Transport authorities have already taken measures to improve traffic flow and address logistical challenges. Additional trains and condensed flight schedules are part of the preparations to accommodate the enormous number of passengers.

Chinese New Year has profound cultural and economic impacts, both nationally and internationally. February 17, 2026 officially begins the Year of the Fire Horse, a year that represents chaos, upheaval and renewal, and was last experienced in 1966.