Bei Ke Cai Jing·2025-12-18 08:05Core Insights - The ticket sales for train travel on New Year's Day 2026 have officially started, with a nearly fivefold year-on-year increase in booking volume during the holiday period [1] - Major cities with the highest train travel popularity include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Harbin, and Nanjing, while Guangzhou is the most popular destination for air travel [1][3] - The most favored train routes are primarily within the "4-hour high-speed rail circle," indicating a trend towards short-distance travel facilitated by an expanding high-speed rail network [1] Train Travel Insights - The most popular train routes include Beijing-Harbin, Beijing-Shanghai, Chengdu-Chongqing, and others, with travel times ranging from under 40 minutes to about 4 hours [1] - High travel frequency among cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, and Sichuan-Chongqing regions supports the "4-hour high-speed rail circle" concept [1] Air Travel Insights - Guangzhou has emerged as the top destination for air travel during the New Year's holiday, attracting visitors from cities like Shenzhen, Beijing, Dongguan, Foshan, and Shanghai [3] - The search volume for hotels near Guangzhou Tower increased by 56%, while hotels near Guangzhou Zengcheng Square saw a 113% rise in searches, indicating a strong demand for accommodation [4] Pricing Trends - For air travel, off-peak travel remains crucial for cost savings, with the best prices for flights departing on January 1 afternoon to January 2, avoiding peak travel times [4] - Return flights on January 5 are expected to be significantly cheaper compared to the peak return days of January 3 and 4, highlighting a favorable pricing trend for travelers [4]