As China gears up for the impending eight-day combined National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, the country is expected to see one of its busiest travel seasons in years, with national railway operators and online platforms reporting surging demand for both domestic and outbound travels.

The China State Railway Group Co told Global Times in a statement on Monday that passenger trips during the upcoming 12-day holiday travel peak, from September 29 to October 10, are expected to top 219 million, with October 1 set to be the peak day.

To meet growing market demand, railway companies plan to operate an average of 13,000 passenger trains each day, including extra night-time high-speed train runs, cross-border train routes and themed tourist trains such as the "Panda Express." Ticketing services on the 12306 platform have also been upgraded, offering real-time monitoring, flexible rescheduling and stronger customer support.

An official from the state railway corporation noted that with the two holidays combined into an eight-day break this year, passenger flows will surge up, possibly peaking at the beginning and end of the long holidays, and more long-distance trips at the start and end versus more medium- and short-distance trips during the middle. He said railway authorities have drawn up detailed transport plans, added capacity, and optimized ticketing and system services to meet diverse travel needs and ensure smooth journeys.

Online travel data point to an equally robust picture. A statement from Fliggy.com on Monday sent to Global Times showed holiday bookings are running well ahead of last year, with travellers booking on average 3.5 days earlier. 

Multi-destination "city-hopping" has become a clear trend, with combined bookings for trains, flights and car rentals up 4.2 percent year-on-year, and air-rail trips up 7 percent. Hotel bookings in smaller cities such as Luzhou in Southwest China's Sichuan Province and Ma'anshan in East China's Anhui Province have more than tripled. 

Outbound travel has expanded to over 140 countries and regions, with long-haul destinations like Australia and the US joining Japan, South Korea and Thailand among the top tourist choices,said the statement.

Tongcheng Travel's forecast underscored the same trend, noting that this year's holiday market will combine "short-distance frequency with long-distance quality." Red tourism, autumn foliage trips and moon-viewing have emerged as key themes, with related searches more than doubling year-on-year. Bookings for domestic chartered and short-haul tours have more than doubled, while spending on long-haul group tours is up over 20 percent. 

Premium hotel bookings, especially scenic-view and moon-viewing rooms, have surged, with some sold out a month in advance. International flight searches have climbed over 60 percent, boosted by visa-free policies in destinations such as South Korea and Russia, the travel service said.

Liu Dingding, a veteran internet industry analyst, told the Global Times on Monday that the shift toward short-haul trips, diversified high-quality offerings and self-driving tours had begun years ago, reflecting China's rapid economic growth and a broader supply of cultural products. After a steady recovery, tourism data during last year's National Day and this year's May Day hit record highs.

He added that smaller cities and once-overlooked destinations have become increasingly popular in recent years. Beyond the traditional hot spots such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou, travellers now have more options thanks to richer supply. The rise of social media — notably the "recommendation" model on Xiaohongshu (RedNote) — has also brought niche attractions into the spotlight. Many little-known sites have gained visibility through short videos and posts on platforms, which Liu said demonstrates the power of online connectivity and the growing influence of the "recommendation economy."