What are the dates for free highway tolls in 2020?
4 Answers
In 2020, the free highway toll periods were during four national statutory holidays: Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Labor Day, and National Day, as well as the consecutive holidays designated by the State Council for these holidays. The specific dates are as follows: Spring Festival: from 00:00 on January 24 to 24:00 on February 8; Tomb-Sweeping Day: from 00:00 on April 4 to 24:00 on April 6; Labor Day: from 00:00 on May 1 to 24:00 on May 5; National Day: from 00:00 on October 1 to 24:00 on October 8. For ordinary roads, the toll-free period is determined by the time when the vehicle passes through the toll lane of the toll station, while for highways, it is determined by the time when the vehicle exits the highway.
I remember there were several periods of free expressway tolls in 2020. First, the Spring Festival period started at 00:00 on January 24th and ended at 24:00 on the 30th, but due to the initial outbreak of the pandemic, there were fewer cars on the road, and people's travel was restricted. The Qingming Festival free period was from 00:00 on April 4th to 24:00 on the 6th. The Labor Day holiday was extended, offering five free days from May 1st to 5th. The National Day holiday, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival, provided a full eight days of free tolls from October 1st to 8th. As an experienced driver, I recommend checking your vehicle's condition and filling up the tank before traveling during these free periods, especially since city entry and exit points are prone to congestion. Navigation apps are very useful for avoiding peak hours. That year, there were fewer travel opportunities, but the policies remained unchanged. Understanding these details for future holiday road trips can help save costs and make the journey more enjoyable. Safety first—don’t speed, and in case of traffic jams, bring some snacks and water as backup.
Our family planned a trip out of town in 2020, so we checked the toll-free dates on the highway: the Spring Festival was free from midnight on January 24th until the 30th, but the trip didn’t happen due to the pandemic outbreak. Later, the Qingming Festival had three free days (from midnight on April 4th to 12 PM on the 6th), and the Labor Day holiday was extended to five free days (from midnight on May 1st to 24:00 on the 5th). The biggest surprise was the National Day holiday, which offered eight free days from October 1st to the 8th, so we finally took the kids for a stroll in the suburbs. I always remind my family that during free periods, there are more cars and traffic jams, so we should leave an hour earlier and choose small towns to avoid crowds for safety. Knowing these dates helps save on highway tolls, but holiday accommodations often get more expensive, so it’s best to book early. Don’t forget to bring toys and books to keep the kids entertained.
The main toll-free periods on highways in 2020 were: Spring Festival from 00:00 on January 24th to 24:00 on January 30th, Qingming Festival from 00:00 on April 4th to 24:00 on April 6th, Labor Day from 00:00 on May 1st to 24:00 on May 5th, and National Day & Mid-Autumn Festival with 8 free days from 00:00 on October 1st to 24:00 on October 8th. Personally, I enjoy test-driving new sports car models on toll-free sections—it feels amazing! I recommend using mobile maps to avoid congested nodes and save fuel costs. That year, roads were unusually quiet due to strict pandemic control measures, but always obey traffic rules and avoid speeding. Remember these dates when planning trips to prevent unexpected expenses.
