Is the highway free on New Year's Day 2021?

[McKai]

2021 New Year's Day highway is not free. The free passage time range includes four national statutory holidays: Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, and National Day, as well as the consecutive holidays determined by the State Council office documents for the above statutory holidays in that year. The free period starts at 0:00 on the first day of the holiday and ends at 24:00 on the last day of the holiday. For ordinary highways, the time is based on when the vehicle passes through the toll lane of the toll station, while for highways, it is based on when the vehicle leaves the exit toll lane. The free vehicles are passenger vehicles with 7 seats or less (including 7 seats) traveling on toll roads, including motorcycles allowed to travel on ordinary toll roads.

[KinsleyLee]

I remember that there was actually no free expressway policy on New Year's Day in 2021, as January 1st didn't have toll-free passage. As someone who loves driving for leisure trips, I specifically checked the official notice—expressway toll waivers only apply to four major holidays: Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, and National Day. January 1, 2021, was a Friday, classified as a regular workday, so tolls were still charged as usual. Many people mistakenly assume all short holidays are toll-free, but this policy was designed to ease peak travel during the Spring Festival rush. Before traveling, it's advisable to download the traffic management app or check the Ministry of Transport's official website to avoid unnecessary trips. During holidays, roads are crowded with heavy traffic, so safe driving is paramount—don’t rush just to save a bit on tolls.

[VanStephanie]

Friend, the expressway is not free on New Year's Day 2021. I also have to pay when driving out on January 1st. The policy only covers major holidays like the Spring Festival or National Day. Although New Year's Day is a short holiday, it is not on the list. When traveling, you can follow WeChat public accounts such as China Traffic Release to get the latest news. The design of free expressways is to reduce congestion and promote tourism, but there are relatively fewer people traveling on New Year's Day. Plan your route well and leave early to reduce the risk of fatigue driving. Holiday happiness is more important, don't let small expenses affect your mood.

[StAubree]

No free expressway passage during 2021 New Year's Day, tolls remain unchanged on January 1st. Having driven for over a decade, I know free passage only applies to Spring Festival, Qingming, Labor Day and National Day holidays – don't count on New Year's mini-break. The policy aims to optimize peak travel periods, but with low New Year's Day traffic volume, planning trips in advance is more practical. Bring sufficient cash or ETC cards when traveling, and prioritize safe driving.

[Mary]

After researching the expressway toll policy, it was found that there is no toll-free period on New Year's Day 2021 (January 1st), and normal tolls will be charged. The toll-free periods are only applicable during specific holidays such as the Spring Festival (February 11-17), Qingming Festival (April 3-5), Labor Day (May 1-5), and National Day (October 1-7). New Year's Day is not included because the government aims to balance traffic pressure. Remember to check official channels for confirmation before traveling, and prioritize safety by avoiding speeding.

[PatrickLynn]

Planning a family trip on New Year's Day, but highways won't be toll-free on January 1st, 2021. The policy only covers major holidays like Spring Festival, Qingming, May Day, and National Day. It's recommended to use Amap for real-time traffic and toll updates. The festive atmosphere is more important than saving money—don't risk rushing. ETC makes travel more convenient, and frequent rest stops help prevent fatigue.