Travel enthusiasm not hampered by crammed traffic hubs in Shanghai
Shanghai's railway stations, airports and highways were crammed on Tuesday as people headed out on vacations for the National Day holiday.
The hashtag #Still Underestimated the National Day Traffic Jam quickly climbed the ranks on social media, reflecting the public sentiment towards the gridlock.
Despite warnings of heavy traffic and adverse weather conditions, including strong winds, heavy rain, and cooler weather, people's enthusiasm to travel remained undiminished.
Busy railway system
An estimated 655,000 people passed through Shanghai's railway stations on the first day of the weeklong holiday. The Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station alone was expected to handle 404,000 passengers to set a single-day record.
The stations scheduled an additional 63 trains to the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Shandong, and Jiangxi to meet demand, the railway authority said in a statement on Tuesday.
Police at Hongqiao Railway Station noted that the period from midnight to 2am was unusually busy and "akin to daytime traffic levels."
There was another influx of people at 6am with the arrival of the first subway train, according to a Shanghai TV report.
Arriving at Hongqiao Railway Station as early as 6am, reporters noted that the waiting hall was packed to capacity, with passenger flow reaching peak levels by 7am.
Heavy rain prompted many to leave their homes early, with some travelers arriving at the station 1 to 2 hours ahead of their scheduled departure times.
One traveler, Ms. Yue, who was scheduled to depart at 6:50am, arrived at the station around 5am due to the heavy rain. She and her companions had initially failed to secure tickets, but managed to get on the waiting list and eventually secured their travel, according to the report.
Tourism spending expected to hit record
Influenced by the rise of A shares and other favorable factors, National Day holiday outbound travel orders increased nearly 40 percent compared to last year, Trip.com, the country's biggest online tourism platform, said on Tuesday.
With surging demand for sightseeing, outbound travel and going to concerts and shows in other cities, National Day holiday spending records are predicted to hit record highs.
On Tuesday, road traffic was equally challenging, with the G40 Yangtze River Tunnel expected to be packed frequently during the holiday period.
Social media was flooded with complaints about the traffic, with some users expressing their frustration for being stuck in traffic for hours. There were also reports of people missing flights and trains due to the congestion.
Despite the challenges, Shanghai's authorities were fully operational to manage the large passenger flow. The police said they would strengthen management and take temporary measures in transportation hubs, like Hongqiao transportation hub and G40 Yangtze River Tunnel to improve traffic, based on real-time conditions.