The 2026 summer travel period, running from July 1 to August 31, is now approaching its final stretch, with high passenger volumes continuing across several popular travel provinces.

Rail passenger traffic has surged significantly, supported by new convenience measures. China Railway Shenyang Group has been moving an average of 700,000 passengers per day this summer, with total projected ridership reaching 43.36 million and a single-day peak of 867,000 passengers. Demand has been driven by a combination of family reunions and summer getaways, with cities like Shenyang, Dalian, Changbaishan, and Dandong seeing heavy traffic. The Shenyang-Baihe high-speed railway, experiencing its first summer season since opening, has transported 1.752 million passengers as tourism demand releases in waves. To manage the large crowds, Shenyang Station completed an upgrade before the season began, relocating security checks from the second level to the first floor and the metro interchange hall, which has eased congestion. The station has also simplified entry by merging ticket verification with security checks, allowing passengers to board with a single ID scan. Additionally, new naked-eye 3D screens and 18 triangular information displays now help travelers locate departure gates more quickly.

Airports have also maintained high operational levels, with increased frequencies and new routes. Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, for instance, saw average daily passenger flow exceed 70,000 on 46 days, and on August 20, it hit a record single-day total of 80,400 passengers. Wu Menglu, deputy chief of the airport's marketing analysis section, noted that from July 1 onward, the airport handled 28,000 flight movements and 4.28 million passengers, far surpassing the same period last year. Airlines have expanded Dalian's route network, adding frequencies to cities like Chengdu, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Hefei, Xiamen, and Kunming, and launching a new four-times-weekly service to Dali in Yunnan.

Guangzhou Baiyun Airport is marking its first summer season with the new Terminal 3 and fifth runway in operation. This summer, a mix of tourism, family, and study-tour travelers has kept the airport busy. The opening of Terminal 3 has boosted passenger numbers; on August 15, the airport handled 1,909 flights and 309,000 passengers in a single day, both setting new records. Despite extreme weather events like typhoons "Maysak" and "Bavi," the airport has maintained a high flight punctuality rate through coordinated scheduling and enhanced flood prevention checks. Summer heat-escape routes have been in strong demand, with new services launched to Xining, Hailar, and Altay, plus international additions to London, Moscow, and Nairobi. Unaccompanied children traveling alone have also reached record numbers, with 661 such passengers departing daily on domestic flights at peak times. The airline has introduced bright vests for these young travelers to improve visibility and streamlined check-in counters based on advance data.

Rail operators have seen a 44.6% year-on-year increase in student travel this summer. China Railway Guangzhou Group has organized 155 student group trips totaling 29,000 passengers, with popular destinations including Beijing, Changsha, Guiyang, Fuzhou, and Lanzhou. To cater to varied needs, a new "Overseas Chinese Capital Marine Flavor" travel pass was launched on August 8, covering 14 stations from Guangzhou to Shenzhen North, Foshan, Jiangmen, and Maoming, linking the western Guangdong coastal corridor and adding momentum to summer rail travel.

In Shaanxi, new hubs are facing their first major test, and new high-speed lines are drawing rising numbers. As of August 27, China Railway Xi'an Group had moved 28.18 million passengers this summer. Xi'an East Station, newly opened, is handling its inaugural peak season, having served 1.329 million passengers by the same date, with 84.5 pairs of trains running regularly to 45 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The new Xi'an-Yan'an and Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railways are also seeing their first summer demand, linking the Guanzhong region to northern Shaanxi and the northwest to central China. Tourist traffic to cities like Yan'an has grown notably, with the station there reporting 965,000 passengers by August 28. At Xi'an North Station, a new air-rail combined service center allows travelers to complete flight inquiries, domestic check-in, and baggage drop-off at the railway station, enabling seamless transfers to the airport.

Civil aviation continues steady growth with better services. By August 27, Xi'an Xianyang International Airport had operated 59,000 flights and carried 8.8 million passengers this summer. With rising inbound tourism demand, the airport has upgraded services, launching a comprehensive platform for international arrivals that offers travel guidance, currency exchange, and mobile payment assistance.