Hundreds of millions in China head home for Lunar New Year as travel rush begins

China’s Lunar New Year travel rush, known as chunyun, began on January 14, 2025. Authorities expect a record 9 billion domestic trips to be made during this period, surpassing the 8.4 billion journeys recorded last year. International arrivals are also expected to increase, driven by China’s expansion of its visa-free entry list and other efforts to boost the tourism sector. The annual chunyun, which lasts about 40 days, is often viewed as a gauge of national economic health.