Post-Lunar New Year reverse exodus traps hundreds of thousands of Chinese drivers in overnight gridlock

There is a mass reverse exodus after the New Year as people return to their place of work or study after visiting home to be with family.

Xie of Shenzhen City left home at dawn, drawing on experience from previous years, but, shortly after entering the expressway, he saw a long stretch of red brake lights as many other drivers had also chosen to depart early to avoid peak hours, according to local news outlet Theirs.

“I thought I was the smartest person for choosing to leave at this hour but it turns out the road is full of ‘smart’ people like me,” Xie posted on his social media page.

Cao left his home in Hunan Province at 3:30 a.m., expecting a 12-hour journey, but after 19 hours of driving, he had traveled only 600 kilometers, with his navigation app estimating more than 40 hours remained.

With vehicles at a standstill, sections of the expressway became temporary gathering spots for drivers. Some got out of their cars to exchange food, play mahjong on car hoods and use portable gas stoves to cook instant noodles in tunnels.

Many also had practical concerns: Cao said his trunk was filled with Lunar New Year gifts, including fresh chicken and dried meat, and, to prevent spoilage, he kept the engine running for air conditioning even as fuel ran low.

Sociologists described the situation as a fallacy of composition, referring to individual decisions that seem rational, such as traveling during off-peak hours, collectively leading to negative outcomes when adopted by millions.

Navigation technology also contributed to the congestion. High daily traffic volumes on mapping apps directed vehicles onto the same suggested routes, placing heavy pressure on road infrastructure.

Electric vehicle owners faced additional difficulties as waiting times of more than four hours to charge were common at rest stops. Some drivers turned off heating systems to conserve battery power and endured freezing temperatures overnight.

Chunyun, China’s annual Spring Festival travel rush, is during the Lunar New Year holidays.

China’s Ministry of Transport estimates it to last 40 days in 2026, from Feb. 2 to March 13, with 9.5 billion interregional trips expected.

Road travel, particularly by private cars, accounts for about 80% of total journeys.