China Railway Sets Single-Day Ticket Sales Record

China Railway sold 29.737 million tickets on September 23, 2026, the highest single-day volume in its history, as the country opened ticket sales for the return peak of its combined Mid-Autumn and National Day holiday travel rush. The state-owned operator said the figure surpassed all previous single-day records, with cumulative sales reaching 304 million tickets between September 9 and September 23.

The milestone came as China began its 16-day holiday railway transport period on September 23, running through October 8 — a window bookended by the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 25–27) and the National Day “Golden Week” (October 1–8).

Why the Record Was Set

According to China State Railway Group, the record was driven by two converging factors: September 23 was the first day tickets went on sale for October 7, the holiday return-peak day, and tickets for newly added trains were released in batches, expanding capacity.

“The record single-day ticket sales on September 23 were mainly because sales began that day for October 7 holiday return-peak tickets,” an official with the group’s Passenger Transport Center said. “At the same time, tickets for newly added trains went on sale successively, further increasing transport capacity.”

China Railway sells tickets on a 15-day advance basis, meaning each day’s sales opening covers a new travel date. When demand-heavy dates such as the return-peak day open, sales spike — a pattern that has produced repeated single-day records in recent years.

The operator reported that its 12306 booking platform “operated smoothly and orderly” after it strengthened technical support and staffing during the sales peak.

Demand Outstrips Supply on Popular Routes

Officials warned that the adjacency of the two holidays — separated by just three working days — has concentrated demand in ways that may strain capacity. Some travelers are combining the periods into a 13-day break.

“This year the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays are adjacent; demand for tourism, family visits and leisure travel is strong,” the Passenger Transport Center official said. “In some regions and time periods there may be highly concentrated passenger flow and prominent supply-demand tensions, and tickets for some popular trains and routes may sell out quickly.”

CCTV reported that tickets remained plentiful in most directions for October 3–5, while high-demand routes and popular train numbers were already tight. On September 24, the railway began selling October 8 tickets.

A Broader National Travel Boom

The railway record is part of a larger surge. At a State Council Information Office briefing on September 24, Vice-Minister of Transport Li Yang projected about 650 million cross-regional trips during the Mid-Autumn holiday and roughly 2.13 billion during National Day, with the October 1 peak day expected to see 340 million trips — up about 1.2 percent year-on-year, potentially a record for the period, according to China News Service.

Highway travel was expected to account for more than 90 percent of trips, with rail and civil aviation passenger volumes growing modestly — about 1.4 percent and 0.6 percent daily respectively.

To absorb the demand, China Railway planned a peak timetable of roughly 13,000 passenger trains per day, deploying night high-speed trains, high-speed sleeper trains, re-coupled bullet trains and additional cars on regular services.

Capacity, Warnings and Anti-Scalping Measures

Alongside the capacity expansion, the railway reiterated that its 12306 website and app are its only official online sales channels, warning travelers against third-party platforms that charge for “ticket-acceleration” packages, memberships or seat selection.

The operator advised passengers to plan early, use 12306’s sales-time reminders and standby booking functions, and consider off-peak travel or connecting routes when direct tickets sell out.

What to Watch

With the Mid-Autumn holiday now underway and the National Day peak still days away, attention turns to whether the network can sustain the load through the busiest stretch. The October 1 travel day and the October 6–8 return window will be the key tests of both capacity and the stability of the 12306 system. Whether the September 23 record holds as the season’s high-water mark — or is eclipsed as more tickets are released — will be the clearest signal of just how robust China’s domestic travel recovery has become.