Latest News:  
Beijing   Overcast    27 / 20 ℃  City Forecast

English>>China Society

Beijing's traffic slows to a crawl

By Wang Xiaodong and Cao Yin  (China Daily)

13:41, September 27, 2012

Beijing's transport authority has warned commuters to expect even more gridlock in the coming days, as millions hit the road, heading both into and out of the capital, for the holidays.

According to the Traffic Performance Index, which measures congestion on a scale of zero (smooth) to 10 (snarled), the city hit 8.5 during the evening rush hour on Wednesday and 9.1 on roads within Third Ring Road at 7 pm.

Speeds dropped to 20 km an hour for most drivers, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport said.

The worst traffic of the year so far, however, happened on Tuesday night, when the index reached a peak of 9.8. By 6:30 pm that day, vehicles were crawling along in the rain at just 13 km/h.

Motorists and bus passengers are being told to expect more of the same.

The capital will see "serious and widespread gridlock" on Thursday and Friday, the commission warned on its website.

Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (Sept 30 this year), is a traditional time for family reunions, while the National Day holiday, which begins on every Oct 1, is a major travel season.

With the two taking place on back-to-back days this year, the capital has seen an unusual surge in inbound and outbound traffic.

"A major cause of congestion is that cars from all over the country are heading to Beijing several days before Mid-Autumn Festival," said Wang Mengshu, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a leading expert in tunnels and underground engineering.

The festival has also become an opportunity for people to deliver gifts to maintain connections.

【1】 【2】 【3】

News we recommend

Recommended News



Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name


Selections for you

  1. Amazing military photos: China's J-10 fighters

  2. Aircraft carriers in service around the world

  3. New Deal to Boost Consumption

  4. 13m basket of flowers on Tian'anmen Square

  5. Liu Xiang comes back

  6. Pictures of space capsule

Most Popular


  1. Noda gov't in hot water as LDP eyes comeback
  2. White paper makes watertight case for Diaoyu claim
  3. Intl firms should learn from Chinese counterparts
  4. Aircraft carrier brings timely morale boost
  5. Palestine faces difficulties amid Arab upheaval
  6. Theft of Diaoyu Islands risks China-Japan trade ties
  7. Japan defies post-war int'l order, China's goodwill
  8. Tokyo's stance on Diaoyu Islands 'unacceptable'
  9. Supervision shields officials from graft
  10. Microsoft wisely teams with Beijing to fight piracy

What's happening in China

Waiting on the wheels

  1. New high-speed railway spurs debate over prices
  2. Chinese gov't units test-drive green autos
  3. Five detained after fatal Gansu mine accident
  4. China's airlines brace for holiday passenger boom
  5. Engineers see highest salaries, best job market

China Features

  1. Ancient villages face losing their souls
  2. Economic circles key to Sino-Japan relations
  3. How to pan for gold in cultural investment fever
  4. How are elegant Miss Etiquettes 'produced'?
  5. Co-production helps Chinese films go global

PD Online Data

  1. Ministry of Water Resources
  2. Ministry of Railways
  3. People's Bank of China
  4. Ministry of Health
  5. Ministry of Culture