(Yicai) Sept. 29 -- Inter-regional passenger trips in China may increase 3.2 percent from a year earlier to 2.36 billion during the forthcoming eight-day Golden Week holiday, according to the transport ministry.

At about 1.87 billion, car journeys will remain the main means of travel over the national holiday from Oct. 1 to 8, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the total, Transport Vice Minister Li Yang said at a press conference yesterday.

During peak periods, highway traffic could exceed an average of 70 million vehicles per day, with new energy vehicles making up 14 million, Li said. Railroads are expected to handle 219 million passenger trips, with an average of about 13,000 trains running each day.

The first travel peak is expected on Oct. 1, with daily passenger volume likely exceeding 340 million, topping the record 339 million set on the sixth day of the Spring Festival earlier this year. Other peak travel days will be Oct. 7 and 8.

Per the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls within the National Day holiday this year, extending the usually seven-day break to eight. Last year the festival fell on Sept. 17.

Mid-to-long-distance travel will increase significantly during Golden Week, mainly thanks to good weather and the rise in popularity of some scenic attractions, according to Li.

This is expected particularly on highways linking major city clusters, such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta region, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region, as well as on national and provincial roads near popular scenic spots.

Top destinations, such as the cities of Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Chongqing, are expected to welcome more tourists this year than last.

Outbound destinations, including Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, are likely to see a major jump in Chinese tourists, boosted by visa-free policies for Chinese passport holders in certain countries.

To ensure safe and convenient travel over the holiday, the transport authorities will step up measures to address adverse weather, congestion on busy road sections, long queues for electric vehicle charging, safety concerns for passenger ships and ferries, and 13 major hazards, Li said.

The transport authorities, traffic police, and travel platforms in some cities have issued travel advisories in recent days, urging safe driving, courteous ride-sharing, and rational responses in in emergencies. They also said they will provide real-time traffic updates and warnings.

Editor: Futura Costaglione