Holiday Traffic Surge: China's Expressways to See 64M Daily Vehicles, with 15.4M EVs

At a press conference held on April 28, the Ministry of Transport reported that weather conditions nationwide during the upcoming May Day holiday are generally favorable for travel, and traffic volumes on expressways will remain at high levels. The average daily traffic volume on national expressways is expected to reach approximately 64 million vehicles, an increase of 3.4% year-on-year, with peak daily traffic potentially hitting 70 million vehicles—the highest ever recorded for a May Day holiday. Travel by new energy vehicles (NEVs) is rising significantly, with their average daily traffic volume projected at around 15.4 million vehicles, up 33% compared to last year. High demand for charging during the holiday may lead to queues at some service areas. Due to concentrated tourism-related travel, expressways and toll stations near popular tourist destinations—including Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Changsha, Qingdao, and Chongqing—are expected to experience heavy traffic pressure. To ensure smooth and orderly operation of the road network during the holiday, authorities will focus on three key measures: First, enhancing traffic flow management and congestion relief. Tailored response plans (“one strategy per section” and “one strategy per hotspot”) will be implemented for frequently congested road segments and areas surrounding popular tourist sites, using real-time information guidance and on-site traffic diversion to improve efficiency. Second, strengthening charging service support. A batch of new charging facilities has already been completed and put into use ahead of the holiday. During the holiday period, mobile charging units will be deployed, and drivers will be directed to charging stations at opposite-direction service areas or nearby exits to alleviate charging bottlenecks. Third, improving travel information services. Timely updates on weather alerts, road conditions, and charging availability at service areas will be provided. Travelers are also advised to search for local transportation investment group accounts on major short-video platforms to access live traffic condition broadcasts.