2026 Spring Festival Travel Rush: High Speed Trains Turn Into Mobile Museums on the Journey Home

During the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, transportation systems across China integrated culture, tourism, and technology into the annual migration. Intelligent guidance systems in stations improved efficiency, while train carriages were transformed into museums and performance stages. The holiday transport period moved not only passengers but also cultural heritage and technological innovation.

Exhibitions and Performances Inside Train Carriages

During the Spring Festival holiday, passengers boarding Train G916 from Xi’an North to Hong Kong West Kowloon entered what resembled a mobile Han Dynasty museum.

The carriage windows featured themed decals inspired by Han Dynasty horse shaped cultural relics. In the dining car, replicas of terracotta horse artifacts from the Han Jingdi Yangling Museum were displayed. Passengers could scan QR codes to listen to the historical background of the painted mounted figurines. This “High Speed Rail Mobile Museum” project was jointly created by the Xi’an Passenger Transport Section of China Railway Xi’an Bureau and the Han Jingdi Yangling Museum.

Staff dressed in Han style clothing led passengers in weaving traditional Han knots and hand drawing Han calendar designs. They distributed horseshoe shaped pastries and traditional cakes, creating a festive atmosphere inside the train.

At the same time, Train G3606 departed from Shenyang Station to Beijing Chaoyang Station. The carriage interiors were decorated with Year of the Horse window paper cuttings, “Fu” character ornaments, frozen autumn pears from Northeast China, and traditional stove candy. Early in the morning, crew members wearing floral vests performed dances to cheerful music, drawing applause from passengers.

At Changbaishan Station, a New Year flash mob event titled “Auspicious Charm Fills Changbai, Blessings to Travelers” delivered seasonal greetings with ice and snow themed performances.

Tourism Trains Bring Travel Dreams Closer

During the Spring Festival, Poyang Lake entered its peak winter migratory bird season, boosting ecological birdwatching tourism. China Railway Nanchang Bureau Group coordinated with cultural and tourism authorities to add multiple birdwatching trains from Nanchang and Shangrao to Yugan.

To reduce the burden of heavy photography equipment, the “Birdwatching Special Train” introduced a luggage service. Staff collected equipment cases one day in advance and returned them directly on the platform upon ticket verification the next day.

Through a standardized “door to station, station to door” process, railway authorities extended services to both ends of passengers’ journeys, addressing last mile challenges for travelers carrying oversized luggage.

The trains also introduced quiet carriages, enabling birdwatching enthusiasts to study bird field guides in a focused environment before arrival.

Meanwhile, Altay in Xinjiang, known as the “Origin of Human Skiing,” became a top destination for winter sports enthusiasts. China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group expanded its ice and snow tourism train services by launching the “China Snow Capital My Altay” passenger train, providing overnight service from Urumqi to Altay with evening departure and morning arrival.

The themed train incorporated Xinjiang winter elements in both exterior and interior design. Facilities included a bar carriage, specialty private compartments, warming pads, anti slip shoe covers, and designated ski equipment storage areas.

Specialized Services Enhance the Journey Home

In Shaanxi Province, Xi’an Bus Station reopened with a new integrated model combining transportation, tourism, and commercial services.

Behind the upgrade was a smart comprehensive management system developed by the Smart Transportation and Big Data Application Research Center of Shaanxi Transportation Holding Group Co., Ltd. Digital ticketing, real name verification, and intelligent parking guidance systems streamlined passenger flow. Additional mother and baby waiting rooms and accessible restrooms improved service inclusivity.

During the travel rush in Xuanen County, Hubei Province, volunteers at the Sinopec Jiaoyuan Energy Station provided traffic guidance, ginger tea, and pomelo to visiting drivers. The station extended operating hours and formed volunteer service teams to provide 24 hour assistance to returning travelers.

According to official forecasts from the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, total passenger traffic entering and leaving Beijing during the Spring Festival travel period is expected to reach 110,000,000 trips, setting a new historical high.

To manage this demand, Beijing authorities upgraded transportation systems using AI based scheduling, digital twin technology, air rail intermodal services, and intelligent road networks.

At Beijing West Railway Station, a one stop air rail intermodal service counter allows passengers to complete airline check in procedures on site and transfer seamlessly to trains bound for Daxing International Airport. Beijing South Railway Station introduced a smart parking facility featuring a large LED canopy screen that provides real time parking space availability and ride hailing waiting information, improving vehicle flow distribution.

Source: Science and Technology Daily