Millions of Chinese citizens faced an unprecedented ordeal, enduring unimaginable suffering as they were stranded on roads not for one, not for two, but for… 24 hours. On Monday, October 6, this nightmare was recorded as citizens returned home after the end of eight-day holidays for National Day and the Moon Festival. The country’s largest toll station, in Anhui province, “flooded” with vehicles, with footage going viral on social media.
Drone footage captured dozens of cars moving across multiple lanes to reach the toll barriers, eventually forming four-lane queues. Videos that circulated show the Wuzhuang toll station, which has 36 lanes, “glowing” through the night with lights from countless cars waiting to pass. According to authorities, on just the last day of the holidays, more than 120,000 vehicles passed through the checkpoint.
China: The ordeal scene on the roads
The Moon Festival, one of the most important family reunion celebrations in China, coincided this year with National Day holidays, extending the vacation from October 1st to 8th. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, approximately 888 million trips were made during this year’s festivities, compared to 765 million last year, when the holiday lasted seven days.
The massive traffic jam at Wuzhuang toll station reminded many drivers of the extremely heavy traffic during Chinese New Year period.
This is the traffic in China as millions return to the cities after a week long holiday. pic.twitter.com/sOnh9YxomR
— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) October 9, 2025
In China, traffic caused by people returning home after the holiday was captured.
— Tansu Yegen (@TansuYegen) October 9, 2025
