Award Banner
Award Banner

Economic woes not a deal breaker as China's Lunar New Year travel rush kicks off

Economic woes not a deal breaker as China's Lunar New Year travel rush kicks off
Travellers line up to board a train as the annual Spring Festival travel rush starts ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, China Jan 14.
PHOTO: Reuters

BEIJING — The annual travel rush for China's Lunar New Year celebrations officially began on Tuesday (Jan 14), with many taking a mental break from their worries about the future to reunite with family or take a holiday.

The peak travel season in the world's second-largest economy kicked off with a train departing from Beijing minutes after midnight, taking early bird travellers from the capital to Hefei in eastern Anhui province.

Most people aim to be with family for the traditional reunion dinner on the eve of the New Year, which falls on Jan 29 this year.

The 40-day travel season will continue until Feb 22, during which authorities estimate a record 9 billion domestic trips will be made. The forecast matches 2024's estimate, although only 8.4 billion trips were actually made during last year's festivities.

Railway passenger volume is expected to exceed 510 million passengers, while more than 90 million passengers are expected to fly. However, the number of journeys by private vehicle is expected to reach 7.2 billion trips, or about 80 per cent of the total domestic passenger flow, national television broadcaster CCTV said.

Travellers wait for their train as the annual Spring Festival travel rush starts ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, China on Jan 14. PHOTO: Reuters

Most of China's 1.4 billion population will be celebrating this year's Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, at a time when the economy is struggling to sustain a durable recovery hamstrung by weak domestic demand and a prolonged property market crisis.

Some travellers said they would not allow the state of the economy to take the shine off the upcoming celebrations.

"Although the economy has slowed down, I think the country as a whole is taking into consideration (the economic situation) and us, as ordinary people, are living well (day to day)," said Wang Zhixu, a 55-year-old who works in property management services, and was at the station in Beijing.

"Peace within our country brings us the most happiness."

Air passengers who purchased multiple destination tickets for the festive period rose 50 per cent compared to last year, and hotel bookings in some counties have increased, CCTV said.

Beijing, Guangzhou, Harbin, Dali and Fuzhou were popular destinations for holidaymakers making the most of the eight-day public holiday.

But for young people looking for work, the outlook is different.

Shi Zhenyue, 22, en route to Harbin for a holiday with friends before travelling on to Wuxi in eastern Jiangsu province to celebrate the New Year with family, hoped for an improvement in the economy so she could join the workforce.

"If the economy does get better (in the new year), I will have a better chance of finding a job, and I won't have to go back to study for a master's or doctoral degree. And if the economy improves, my father's bonus (from work) won't be halved. Everything else is fine," Shi said.

Youth unemployment hit 18.8 per cent last August, the highest since the authorities changed the way they calculated the figures in Dec 2023. Although joblessness data has shown some improvement in recent months, millions of college graduates have been pushed into accepting low-paying work or even subsisting on their parents' pensions.

Many have also abandoned the stresses of big cities for a simpler life away from the hustle.

For 33-year-old He who lives in northeastern Liaoning province with her fiance, the slower pace of life is a comfort.

"Because we are not in a very big city like everyone else, we may not have too much pressure," said the small business owner who only gave her surname.

"We had also stayed in the big city for a period of time after graduation, and then we chose to go back to our home town where we feel is friendlier, and also happier," she said.

Read Also
china
After year of big corruption crackdown, China promises more probes, retribution

Source: Reuters

homepage

trending

trending
    SCDF team recovers body from partially collapsed hotel after Myanmar quake, sets up 2 medical outposts
    47 injured in Tokyo expressway bus accident; at least 1 Singaporean on board
    Stocks dive in Asia, markets hunger for rapid US rate cuts
    Woman who allegedly cheated son in Netflix's Con Mum charged in Singapore with fraud
    Edwin Goh proposes to Rachel Wan, both returning to Singapore after 2 years in Australia
    Man, 55, found dead in car left stationary for 2 days in Paya Lebar
    Singaporeans have to work together to deal with uncertainty, says SM Lee, citing new Trump tariffs
    SG60 initiative timing not planned to coincide with GE, says Tan See Leng
    Former MOF director Shawn Loh seen at Jalan Besar GRC community events
    New platform for a new era: Audi A5 Sedan now available in Singapore
    Fewer candidates this time, but PSP confirms it is contesting West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs
    Woman hit by car at Sengkang East Drive pedestrian crossing after cars refuse to give way

Singapore

Singapore
    • 'I thought I could outwit scammers': Woman who lost over $78,000 to job scam in 4 days
    • PSP's potential new candidates seen at walkabout in Boon Lay
    • How do Trump's tariffs affect you? Here is an explainer
    • Singapore deploys 34-member emergency medical team to aid Myanmar quake relief efforts
    • Salt, sauces and instant noodles to have Nutri-Grade labels by mid-2027
    • 'Revenge porn' victims speak out: 'Will he take pictures of me when I’m not looking?'
    • GE2025: Balancing need for foreign talent with aspirations of Singaporean workers
    • Where the parties stand on key issues ahead of GE2025
    • Trump's tariffs have limited direct impact 'for now' but consequences could be 'wider and more profound': PM Wong
    • 2 Taiwanese men allegedly part of a crime syndicate charged with cheating

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • NewJeans changes social media handles and deletes posts after court ruling
    • Hong Kong actor Lee Lung Kei still plans to marry fiancee 37 years younger after her release from prison
    • 'My brain got so fried up': Gurmit Singh hit by anxiety attack while acting in his 1st Chinese drama
    • Gossip mill: Diana Ser's son to enlist, Takeshi Kaneshiro back after 3 years, agency says late Sulli wasn't forced to film nude scene
    • Ed Sheeran releases new single Azizam
    • UK police charge comedian Russell Brand with rape, sexual assaults
    • Jean-Claude Van Damme accused of having sex with trafficked women
    • 'I was right there just 3cm behind her': Exo's Kai recalls joys of simple life during military service, meeting commuter checking him out online
    • Jim Carrey pays tribute to Val Kilmer's 'grace and courage'
    • E-Junkies: The Click Five will consider making new music if upcoming tour goes well

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • The rise of Chinese F&B brands in Singapore: What stirs Singaporeans' appetites?
    • AI and art: Studio Ghibli-inspired trend sparks debate on ethics and consent
    • The iconic Milo Van beverage is now available in supermarkets
    • Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical to make Asia premiere in Singapore this December
    • A bright minimalist condo apartment with a loft
    • The truth about integrated developments in Singapore: 5 homeowners share their living experience
    • How to pay in China like a local: 2025 guide for foreigners and tourists
    • Battlebox, but make it art: Portals will change how you see this underground bunker
    • 5 things I didn't expect to find in my new BTO estate
    • Sunda Festival 2025: 2 friends shaping Singapore's music and festival scene

Digicult

Digicult
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • One Beijing man's quest to keep cooking — and connecting with Americans — on camera
    • Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in June with US$449.99 price tag
    • Games in April: RPGs, racing and Ronaldo in a fighting game
    • Is it time to get a MacBook at a good price? The M4 MacBook Air says yes
    • China's Baidu launches 2 new AI models as industry competition heats up
    • China's top universities expand enrolment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas
    • International Women's Day: Meet the Singapore women levelling up in gaming
    • US indicts slew of alleged Chinese hackers, sanctions company over spy campaign

Money

Money
    • Giant deal: Malaysian company to acquire Cold Storage and Giant supermarket chains in Singapore
    • US stock futures tumble indicating another plummet on Wall Street
    • Trump compares tariffs to 'medicine' as markets point to rough week ahead
    • Personal loans for new parents: When do they make sense?
    • 9 best personal loans in Singapore with lowest interest rates (April 2025)
    • Best travel insurance policies for places prone to natural disasters (2025)
    • 'We spent just $5,000 on reno': Why some buyers are skipping big renovations in 2025
    • Wedding loan vs. personal loan: What's the best way to finance a wedding in Singapore
    • Triple record-breaking $3.06m EC: How did they manage it?
    • US starts collecting Trump's new 10% tariff, smashing global trade norms

Latest

Latest
  • Australia's opposition dumps policy on return to office as election nears
  • Taiwan eyes zero tariffs with US, pledges more investment
  • Pope Francis makes surprise first appearance at Vatican after hospital stay
  • Anti-Trump protesters gather in Washington, other US cities
  • Indonesia will not retaliate against Trump tariff, official says
  • Israeli military changes initial account of Gaza aid worker killings
  • EU seeks unity in first strike back at Trump tariffs
  • Aid cuts could leave more women dying in pregnancy and birth, UN says
  • South Korea firefighting helicopter crashes, pilot dead, Yonhap reports

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • 'She should be with her family': Employer gives maid plane ticket, $800 to return to Myanmar and search for missing mum
  • 'He needed something to help him fight,' says man who bought Hokkien mee for dying patient
  • Thai woman struggles to evacuate during earthquake while her dog sleeps unfazed
  • Workers painting exterior of Geylang block discover man's skeletal remains in flat
  • 'New, younger' PAP team vows to reclaim WP-controlled Sengkang GRC, says Lam Pin Min
  • New face Jackson Lam 'very good on the ground' and will be asset to Parliament, says Shanmugam
  • Woman who publicised tips on how she evaded GST for luxury purchases fined $18k
  • Powerful quake in Southeast Asia kills several, 81 trapped in Bangkok building rubble
  • Dog dies after being skinned alive in Malaysia, animal welfare group condemns 'barbaric' act
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.