Core Insights - The 2026 Spring Festival travel season officially starts on February 2, lasting for 40 days, with an expected passenger volume of 540 million, averaging 13.48 million passengers daily, representing a 5.0% year-on-year increase [1] Group 1: New High-Speed Rail Lines - A total of 22 new high-speed rail lines spanning 3,109 kilometers will be added for this year's Spring Festival, with over 50 new passenger stations participating for the first time [1] - New high-speed rail connections include: - Xi'an to Yan'an, facilitating travel for residents in several counties [1] - Shenyang to Jiamusi, marking the entry of cities into the high-speed rail network [1] - Baotou to Yinchuan, connecting Inner Mongolia to Ningxia [1] - Hefei to Xinyi, enhancing connectivity in Anhui province [1] - Hangzhou to Quzhou, further densifying the regional rail network [1] - Additional lines include: - Xiangyang to Jingmen, establishing Hubei's first high-speed rail loop [2] - Wuhan to Yichang, adding six new stations [2] - Chongqing to Qianjiang, integrating more areas into the national high-speed rail network [2] - Panxian to Xingyi, connecting Guizhou to the national high-speed rail map [2] - Nanning to Pingxiang, with three new stations [2] Group 2: Enhanced Services and Ticketing - The national railway system can operate over 14,000 passenger trains daily, with a 5.3% increase in passenger capacity [3] - Flexible and differentiated pricing strategies will be implemented, with discounts of up to 80% for less popular routes [3] - New services introduced include: - "Snow" service for ski equipment on select trains [4] - "Dui" service allowing ticket redemption through loyalty points [4] - "Quiet" carriages available on over 8,000 trains [4] - "Pet" service for pet transportation on 170 high-speed trains [4]

Core Viewpoint - The 2026 Spring Festival travel season in China will start on February 2 and end on March 13, with an expected passenger volume of 539 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.0% [4]. Group 1: New Measures for Spring Festival Travel - The railway department has introduced a limited-time free ticket refund service for passengers who mistakenly purchase tickets, allowing refunds within 30 minutes of payment if the train departs more than 4 hours later [6]. - Passengers are encouraged to utilize the 12306 platform's ticket reservation feature, maximizing their chances of success by selecting up to 60 combinations of "date + train number" [8]. - A "light luggage" service is available, allowing passengers to book luggage handling services through the 12306 platform, with options for "door-to-station" and "station-to-door" delivery [9]. Group 2: Discounts and Special Services - Additional discounts and conveniences are provided for students and elderly passengers, including two extra one-way student discount tickets for the 2026 college graduates and a dedicated booking service for elderly travelers [11]. - Workers can make advance online reservations for Spring Festival train tickets, with a specific booking window available for those who have completed identity verification [12]. - Special services for carrying snow equipment and pet transportation are also available, with specific guidelines for weight and size [13][15]. Group 3: Enhanced Travel Experience - The introduction of a "quiet carriage" option aims to provide a more peaceful travel environment by adjusting audio levels and encouraging quiet behavior among passengers [18]. - Passengers can also select their preferred sleeping berth on certain trains, enhancing the overall travel experience [19].