304 Million Trips and Counting: Why China’s Spring Festival is the World’s Biggest Migration

Last week, 304 million people in China packed their bags, boarded trains, hopped on planes, or hit the road. Their mission? To get home for Spring Festival aka Chinese New Year, the country’s most important holiday.

To put that number in perspective: it’s like the entire population of the United States hitting the road at once. And this isn’t even the peak. By 2025, China expects a staggering 9 billion trips during chunyun (春运), the Spring Festival travel rush.

Chunyun (春运) translates to “spring transport,” but that bland phrase doesn’t come close to capturing the chaos, the heartache, and the joy of this annual migration. It’s not just a holiday. It’s a logistical marvel, a cultural phenomenon, and a testament to the power of family.

What is Spring Festival, Anyway?
For Westerners, think of Spring Festival as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve all rolled into one—with a dash of Fourth of July fireworks.

It’s a time for family reunions, lavish feasts, and red envelopes (hongbao, 红包) stuffed with cash. It’s about honoring ancestors, setting off firecrackers to scare away evil spirits, and staying up late to welcome the new year.

But unlike Christmas, which is largely confined to a single day, Spring Festival is a weeks-long extravaganza. This year, it kicked off on January 14 and runs through February 22, with the main celebration falling on January 29.

The Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s break it down:

• 304 million trips in a single day. That’s more than the population of most countries.

• 288 million by road. Families pile into cars—many of them electric—to brave the highways.

• Rail and air travel up 5.3% and 3.6%, respectively. Trains and planes are packed to the brim.

And this is just the beginning. By 2025, China expects 9 billion trips during chunyun (春运). That’s not a typo. Nine. Billion.

Why Everyone Hits the Road
For many Chinese, Spring Festival is the only time all year they can visit family. Migrant workers, students, and professionals flock home from cities to rural villages, creating a tidal wave of humanity.

Road trips dominate, accounting for 80% of all journeys. And thanks to China’s booming electric vehicle (EV) market, many of these trips are powered by batteries, not gasoline. Charging stations along highways make it easier than ever for EVs to go the distance.

Railways are also stepping up, adding capacity on popular routes and enhancing services to handle the surge.

A Holiday Like No Other
Spring Festival isn’t just a holiday—it’s a cultural touchstone. It’s a time to honor traditions, reconnect with loved ones, and set the tone for the year ahead.

For Westerners, it’s hard to grasp the scale and significance. Imagine if every American traveled home for Thanksgiving, stayed through Christmas, and rang in the New Year with their entire extended family. Now multiply that by four.

That’s Spring Festival.

The Ripple Effect: How CNY Hits the West
While Spring Festival is a time of celebration in China, its effects ripple far beyond its borders. For weeks, factories across China shut down as workers return home. This annual pause disrupts global supply chains, leaving Western companies scrambling to adjust.

From iPhones to IKEA furniture, many of the products you use daily are made in China. When production halts for Spring Festival, delays can stretch for weeks. Retailers stockpile goods in anticipation, but even the best-laid plans can’t fully offset the impact.

For Western consumers, this might mean higher prices or longer wait times for certain products. For businesses, it’s a stark reminder of how interconnected the global economy truly is.

The Bigger Picture
Beyond the fireworks and feasts, Spring Festival is a window into China’s soul. It’s a reminder of the importance of family, the resilience of tradition, and the sheer scale of a nation on the move.

And as China’s EV infrastructure grows and railways expand, the holiday is becoming more accessible than ever.

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