Millions on the move as China eyes holiday bounce

Hundreds of millions in China hustled to enjoy their first major national holiday since the country beat its coronavirus outbreak, filling airports and train stations.

The Golden Week holiday marks the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and sees an astonishing annual movement of people trying to get home or take holidays.

But this year has added significance, with the crowds filling the concourses pointing to a country rebounding from the outbreak and parading the freedom to travel as a contrast to the rolling lockdowns hitting much of the world.

Domestic travel has sprung back to life and given the economy a boost after the virus shuttered businesses and scared away tourists following its emergence in Wuhan late last year.

A girl wearing a face mask sits on top of a bag as she travels with relatives ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

A girl wearing a face mask sits on top of a bag as she travels with relatives ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

A police officer (centre L) checks identification cards as people queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

Passengers wait for their trains one day ahead of an eight-day national holiday marking China's National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival at Hangzhou East train station, in China's eastern Zhejiang province

A worker (L) wearing full protective gear watches a monitor that reads passengers temperatures at a security checkpoint ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

A boy wearing a face mask sits on top of luggage as he travels with relatives ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.