Entry and exit vehicle volume reaches approximately 1.8011 million, a year-on-year increase of 18.81%.
The National Day holiday coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2025, creating a rare "Super Golden Week" and thus fueling strong public travel enthusiasm. As the number of homeward and sightseeing trips increases significantly in Huaihua, the local expressways are expected to experience the year's traffic peak. According to Huaihua Branch, Hunan Expressway Group, the total of road network traffic is projected to increase during the 8-day holiday. The total entry and exit traffic is estimated to reach approximately 1.8011 million vehicles, up 18.81% year-on-year, while the average daily flow will be around 225,100 vehicles, a 3.96% increase from the previous year and 2.52 times the usual daily volume.
The holiday is expected to see Huaihua express traffic characterized by large total volume, high peaks, and extended duration. Forecasts indicate that travel during the 2025 National Day period will be dominated by tourism and logistics transport, with a notable trend of "one family, one car" trips in small passenger vehicles. Projections break down as follows: Small passenger vehicles will account for approximately 1.6286 million trips, representing 90.42% of the total traffic. Large and medium passenger vehicles are estimated at around 14,900 trips, making up 0.83% of the total.
Freight vehicles are expected to reach about 157,600 trips, constituting 8.75% of overall traffic.
The traffic flow on the Huaihua expressway network is operating at a high overall level with prominent peaks, showing an "M"-shaped pattern. On the first day of the holiday, travel demand is concentrated, with a significant overlap of family visits, tourism, and logistics transportation, leading to a sharp increase in traffic flow and the network operating at full capacity. Travel times were highly concentrated on the afternoon of September 30 and the morning of October 1. Starting from October 6, some travelers began returning early, with the peak occurring on October 7. As the holiday drew to a close, return traffic became more dispersed.
Key sections experiencing significant congestion included the Zhutian Junction on the G60 Hukun Expressway, Huangjin'ao and Zhuxi Junction on the G65 Baomao Expressway, as well as various interchanges along the S97 Ring Expressway. Additionally, highways leading to suburban attractions and major national road arteries bear a significant volume of vehicles.
The public travel enthusiasm has been significantly boosted by the extended duration of the National Day holiday, pleasant weather, and peak travel season—combined with the toll-free policy for small passenger vehicles on expressways. Popular destinations this year are expected to encompass patriotic tourism sites and rural attractions.
Key scenic spots likely to experience high visitor numbers comprise: The Memorial Hall of the Acceptance of the Japanese Surrender in Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, Hongjiang Ancient Commercial Town, Qianyang Ancient City, Jingping Ancient Village in Zhongfang County, Tongdao Wanfoshan scenic area, and Xiangjiadi Huangjing Valley scenic area in Xinhuang.
Expressway interchanges near these attractions are expected to handle significantly higher traffic volumes. To ensure a smooth journey, the public is advised to plan their routes and schedules carefully, avoid congested periods and sections where possible so as to minimize delays.
The Huaihua Branch advices the public to adopt off-peak travel strategies by avoiding congested hours and bottleneck sections. Motorists are advised to plan their routes in advance, keep up with real-time traffic information, and comply with traffic regulations. By doing so, we can collectively create a safe, orderly, and smooth environment for highway travel.
(Translated by Feng Tao)