Is the Highway Free on October 1st?
2 Answers
Highway tolls are waived on October 1st during the National Day holiday. The free period for highways is from 00:00 on October 1st to 24:00 on October 8th. The vehicles eligible for free passage are passenger vehicles with 7 seats or fewer (including 7 seats). If you enter the station via ETC, you can choose to exit through either the ETC lane or the manual lane, which does not affect ETC usage. However, if you enter via the manual lane, you must also exit through the manual lane; exiting through the ETC lane will not be possible. Pedestrians, non-motor vehicles, tractors, agricultural transport vehicles, electric bicycles, wheeled special machinery vehicles, full-trailer tractors, and motor vehicles with a maximum design speed below 70 km/h are not permitted on highways. During the National Day holiday, traffic congestion on highways mostly occurs at noon, afternoon, and evening. The likelihood of congestion in the morning is generally low, but it increases with higher traffic volume. For National Day travel, it is advisable to avoid peak travel times and, if possible, nighttime driving.
As someone who frequently drives for travel, I've experienced several National Day trips, and it's certain that highways are toll-free on October 1st. The government has special policies for holidays, offering toll-free access to highways for small passenger vehicles with 7 seats or fewer during the National Day holiday (usually from the 1st to the 7th), aimed at promoting holiday travel and family reunions. However, it's important to note that the toll-free period starts at 00:00 on October 1st, which can easily lead to traffic congestion. I once set off at 5 a.m. and still got stuck in traffic for two hours. Therefore, I recommend planning your route in advance, checking your vehicle's condition, such as brakes and tires, and using ETC for faster passage. Overall, it's quite economical as it saves on highway tolls, but it's essential to drive within your limits and avoid fatigue driving.
