Mega traffic jam halts China’s largest toll with 10 million vehicles post-holiday Por Luís Henrique Costa
5 min de leitura
 |
A massive traffic jam involving approximately 10 million vehicles paralyzed China’s largest toll station, located on the Hushan Expressway in Chuzhou, Anhui province. The incident occurred on October 6, 2025, during the return from an eight-day holiday known as the Golden Week, which celebrates National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Local authorities attributed the issue to the convergence of 36 toll lanes into just four driving lanes, creating an unavoidable bottleneck. The intense flow resulted from 888 million domestic trips recorded during the period, the highest volume since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aerial videos captured queues stretching for kilometers, with taillights illuminating the asphalt like a river of red light. Drivers faced delays of up to 24 hours to cross the Wuzhuang toll station. China’s Ministry of Transport estimated that over 120,000 vehicles passed through the site on that day alone, exceeding initial projections by 20%.
The holiday boosted domestic tourism, with total spending reaching 809 billion yuan, equivalent to about 640 billion reais. This economic surge reflects the sector’s recovery but also exposes limitations in road infrastructure.
- Main affected clusters: Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
- 3.2% increase in trips compared to 2024, totaling 2.36 billion cross-regional movements.
- Return peak expected on October 8, with 19 million train passengers.
Toll station design worsens flow
The Wuzhuang toll station operates with 36 parallel toll booths, designed to handle high traffic volumes. However, after the toll plaza, the lanes sharply reduce to four, forcing an abrupt vehicle merge. This transition, common on Chinese highways, worked well on regular days but collapsed under the post-holiday pressure.
Anhui traffic authorities deployed teams to redirect traffic and open temporary extra lanes. The bottleneck persisted for hours, with average speeds below 5 km/h in the critical area.
Relief measures implemented
Alternative transport options were reinforced to divert road traffic. Shenzhen’s metro extended hours until midnight on main lines, accommodating 15% more passengers than usual. Intercity buses added 500 extra trips between October 6 and 8.
Highway police issued alerts via navigation apps, suggesting alternate routes like the G40 and G42. These actions reduced congestion by 30% on adjacent roads, according to preliminary traffic control data.
Electric vehicles, accounting for 25% of traffic in the Yangtze Delta, faced queues at charging stations, with an average wait time of 45 minutes. Operators like State Grid deployed mobile chargers at strategic points.
Golden Week context
The Golden Week, held annually since 1999, combines National Day on October 1 with extended days off to boost travel. In 2025, its overlap with the Mid-Autumn Festival extended the period to eight days, from October 1 to 8. The Chinese government promotes the event to stimulate consumption, resulting in record tourism: 314 million visits to national attractions, 8% above 2024.
The volume of 888 million domestic trips marked the highest since 2019, driven by affordable fuel prices and favorable weather in central regions. Compared to previous years, the 13.5% increase reflects post-pandemic normalization, with focus on destinations like Shanghai and Beijing.
Comparisons with past events
Similar traffic jams occurred in 2010 on National Highway 110, where a 100-km queue lasted 12 days due to construction and truck overload. Drivers moved just 1 km per day, and local vendors sold supplies at inflated prices.
In 2025, the Wuzhuang incident lasted less due to swift interventions but highlighted persistent vulnerabilities. The Ministry of Transport plans to expand lanes at key tolls by 2027, with a 50 billion yuan investment.
Infrastructure lessons
Modernization projects include AI sensors to predict traffic peaks and dynamic lanes that adjust to volume. In urban clusters like Chengdu-Chongqing, tests with stop-free electronic tolls reduced waits by 40% in 2024 pilots.
The event underscores the need for modal diversification, with high-speed railways carrying 19 million passengers at the return peak. Airports recorded 12 million domestic flights, 5% above expectations.
Tourism scale during the holiday
The tourism boom generated 180 billion yuan in spending during the May Golden Week, but October surpassed it significantly. Beijing hotels reached 95% occupancy, and theme parks like Shanghai’s saw 2-hour queues.
Rural areas, targeted by government campaigns, received 20% more visitors, promoting balanced development. The total of 2.36 billion cross-regional trips equates to an average of 295 million per day.
The hospitality sector recovered to 90% of pre-pandemic occupancy, with emphasis on eco-friendly options.
Social media reactions
Images of the traffic jam spread widely online, with users sharing preparation tips. Many recommended kits with water and snacks for long waits. Comparisons with Indian traffic emerged in posts, highlighting challenges of populous nations.
Authorities monitored platforms to disseminate real-time updates, reaching 50 million views on official alerts.
