The 2026 Spring Festival travel rush is currently at its peak. As a major manufacturing and port city in southeastern China, Ningbo serves as a critical hub for inter-regional population movement each year. What has been the scale of migration from Ningbo during this year's travel season, and where are people going? Baidu's migration big data provides clear insights.
Migration outflow has reached its highest level in seven years. With the arrival of the "longest Spring Festival holiday in history," cross-city travel from Ningbo has continued to intensify. According to Baidu's migration data, from the 19th to the 22nd day of the 12th lunar month (February 6 to February 9, 2026), Ningbo's migration scale index exceeded the levels seen during the same lunar period in 2025 and 2024, as well as the averages from 2019 to 2023. On the 22nd day of the 12th lunar month (February 9), the index reached 8.61, marking increases of 7.22% and 9.96% compared to the same day in 2025 and 2024, respectively. This represents the third consecutive year of growth.
This trend reflects a combination of the "returning home wave" among migrant workers and a surge in family visits and tourism. Many manufacturing companies in Ningbo began granting holidays starting February 6 to support "new Ningbo residents" in returning home for reunions. The extended holiday period has heightened enthusiasm among workers for family gatherings, with some planning early travel to avoid peak periods.
Nationally, Ningbo has once again ranked among the top 20 cities for outbound migration during the 2026 Spring Festival travel season. On February 9, for example, Ningbo's migration scale index placed it 16th nationwide, accounting for 1.22% of the country's total migration outflow that day. Other cities on the list included major first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as key manufacturing hubs in the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions, such as Dongguan, Foshan, Suzhou, and Jinhua. These economically dynamic areas exhibit distinct "tidal" population movements during the travel rush.
Where are people returning to? An analysis of migration destinations reveals clear patterns of the hometowns of Ningbo's workforce. On February 9, over 75% of those leaving Ningbo traveled outside Zhejiang Province, with Anhui, Henan, and Jiangxi provinces accounting for 16.76%, 10.37%, and 8.93% of departures, respectively. At the city level, the top 10 destinations were Hangzhou (5.54%), Fuyang (4.29%), Shangrao (3.83%), Shaoxing (3.66%), Taizhou (3.47%), Bozhou (2.92%), Shangqiu (2.89%), Shanghai (2.72%), Chongqing (2.46%), and Suzhou (Anhui) (2.10%).
The presence of cities like Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Taizhou, and Shanghai indicates strong connections between Ningbo and other urban centers in the Yangtze River Delta. Some Ningbo residents also use Hangzhou or Shanghai as transit points for their journeys home or for travel. Meanwhile, labor-exporting cities in Anhui, Henan, and Jiangxi—such as Fuyang, Shangrao, Bozhou, Shangqiu, and Suzhou—feature prominently on the list, reflecting their role as major sources of Ningbo's resident population.
Travelers are advised to stagger their return trips. According to transportation authorities, self-driving remains the dominant mode of travel during the Spring Festival period, accounting for about 80% of cross-regional movement. Rail and air travel are also expected to see significant volumes, with estimates of 540 million railway trips and 95 million air passenger trips during the season.
In response to the large-scale travel demand, a joint report recommends that travelers plan ahead and avoid peak return periods. The report predicts that travel volumes will dip on Lunar New Year's Eve and the first day of the new year before quickly rebounding from the second day onward. Two return peaks are expected: one around the sixth day of the new year and another around the Lantern Festival.
Regionally, Guangdong is projected to be the most active area for two-way travel flow during the Spring Festival period, followed closely by Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Meanwhile, Chongqing has surpassed first-tier cities to become the most popular destination, attracting visitors from across the country to experience its unique Lunar New Year celebrations.
Notably, Ningbo residents' travel enthusiasm ranks 16th among Chinese cities. Those with travel plans are encouraged to check real-time traffic conditions via mapping apps, plan alternative routes to avoid congestion, and consider flexible public transportation options.
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