Is the highway toll-free during the Mid-Autumn Festival?
2 Answers
During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, highways charge tolls as usual and are not toll-free. The specific policies for toll-free highway access are as follows: 1. According to the "Implementation Plan for Exempting Small Passenger Vehicles from Toll Fees on Major Holidays," the toll-free period applies to four national statutory holidays: Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, and National Day, as well as the consecutive holidays determined by the State Council for these statutory holidays in the current year. 2. The toll-free period starts at 00:00 on the first day of the holiday and ends at 24:00 on the last day of the holiday (for ordinary roads, the time is based on when the vehicle passes the toll booth lane, while for highways, it is based on when the vehicle exits the toll lane at the exit).
As a commuting professional who frequently drives long distances, during last year's Mid-Autumn Festival when I drove back to my hometown, I initially thought the highway would be toll-free, only to find out at the toll station that no discount was applicable. Later, upon checking the policy, I learned that highway toll exemptions usually apply only during the four major holidays: Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, and National Day. The Mid-Autumn Festival is generally not included unless the state makes special adjustments to the holiday schedule. This experience taught me a lesson, and now before every holiday, I always check the real-time policy on the Ministry of Transport's official website or app. During Mid-Autumn Festival travels, with heavy traffic, I advise friends not only to check toll-free policies before setting out but also to inspect their vehicles: ensure the headlights and tires are in good condition to avoid mishaps during nighttime driving, as being stuck in traffic can be quite frustrating. Additionally, using ETC might offer extra discounts, helping to save some money.