Traffic During the Gaokao, China Eastern Launches a New Airline
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Talking Travel: Your semi-regular roundup of Beijing's latest transportation-related news.
You might have already guessed that traffic would be a mess this week due to the rain that is projected to fall through Friday, but in fact, the roads are likely to be a downright disaster during rush hour as thousands of students are hauled off to take China's National College Entrance Examination – known as the Gaokao – in preparation for entrance into colleges and universities. The testing begins Tuesday, Jul 7 and will continue until Friday, Jul 10.
Due to the distribution of testing sites, traffic is expected to concentrate heavily along the east and north parts of the Second and Third Ring Roads, along with Jiangguomenwai Daijie and Xizhimen Dabeijie.
During the Gaokao period, police will be stationed near schools to ensure that traffic moves along. Vehicles will also be banned from honking while near schools, so at least you won't have to listen to a chorus of impatient drivers whilst stuck on the road.Projected morning rush hour traffic
Projected evening rush hour traffic
If you prefer a commute underneath the roads rather than on them, you might also notice a few youngsters skipping the line. Not to worry, as Gaokao students are granted priority at subway stations this week.
Conventional wisdom suggests that launching a new airline during a global pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the travel industry would be foolish, however, China Eastern is putting that theory to the test. Last month, Eastern teamed up with Chinese travel agency Trip.com among others to form Sanya Airlines.
The new carrier will be based in Hainan, competing with giants like Hainan Airlines for tarmac space in that province, which is turning out to be a key strategic spot in the country’s tourism industry. As of yet, it’s not clear when you will be able to board a Sanya flight, as its backers have been understandably cautious about laying out a timeline for its debut.Rush to exit Beijing ensues as the city relaxes travel restrictions
As we previously reported, train passengers will no longer need to provide proof of a negative test in order to board trains departing from Beijing. After the reemergence of COVID-19 threw a wrench in many Beijingers' Dragonboat Festival travel plans, the city’s residents were apparently itching for a vacation. After the announcement was made, online travel services saw a 350 percent bump in searches for hotels.
READ: A True Hermit Lives Right Downtown: Boutique Hotels for Your Next Beijing Staycation
Images: Wikimedia, Yujian Beijing
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