Shanghai's transport operators advised ahead of Spring Festival rush

Shanghai's Spring Festival transport office said on Tuesday that this year's 40-day Spring Festival travel rush will begin on Jan 14 and is expected to witness a new high in passenger numbers.

The expected total passenger volume traveling in and out of Shanghai is set to reach 49.61 million, marking a substantial 14 percent year-on-year increase, mainly due to a surge in travel demand during this period that will last through Feb 22.

Notably, rail travel is expected to rise by 16 percent, while air travel is projected to rise by 9 percent, and road passenger transport is estimated to grow by 10 percent, according to the office.

The first peak travel period is forecasted to take place at around Jan 25, which is four days ahead of Spring Festival, influenced by a combination of students and migrant workers, as well as family visits. Post-festival travel returning to the city is expected to peak at around Feb 4 and 15.

The office said that Hongqiao, the city's major transportation hub, is expected to handle the highest daily passenger flow, averaging around 560,000 passengers per day.

In terms of road network, it is predicted that highway traffic volume will show an upward trend, with daily traffic flow of at least 1.3 million vehicles, representing a 3 percent to 7 percent year-on-year increase.

Emphasizing the need to enhance transport capacity, the office urged all transportation operators to fully exploit their operational potential. Special focus is placed on bolstering capacity at venues, including key passenger transport hubs, railway stations, airports and tourist attractions. Measures to be implemented include increasing service frequencies, introducing additional services and optimizing scheduling.