When Does the Mid-Autumn Festival Free Highway Policy Start?
2 Answers
Starting from January 7, 2019. Here are some relevant introductions about highways: 1. Avoid highway congestion nodes: During holidays, certain highway nodes often experience traffic saturation. Combined with road conditions such as tunnels and slopes, traffic accidents are highly likely to occur, leading to traffic jams. 2. Evacuate accident scenes as soon as possible: The traffic police department also reminds that if a traffic accident occurs while driving on the highway with no casualties and the vehicle can still move, it is best for the owner to first move the vehicle to the hard shoulder, then call the police for help, and follow the instructions of the traffic police to avoid secondary collisions and large-scale traffic jams.
The Mid-Autumn Festival highway toll exemption generally starts at 0:00 on the first day of the holiday and lasts until 24:00 on the last day. As an experienced holiday road-tripper, I've driven on the expressway during several Mid-Autumn Festivals, and the free period is usually calculated based on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. In 2023, the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays were combined, with the toll exemption running from 0:00 on September 29th to 24:00 on October 6th. This year, 2024, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 17th, and the policy is expected to be similar, starting at 0:00 on the 17th and ending at 24:00 on the 19th, but you should check the Ministry of Transport's official website or public account for confirmation. The exemption only applies to passenger vehicles with 7 seats or fewer, so don't forget to ensure your ETC device is working properly. With heavy traffic during the Mid-Autumn Festival, it's best to depart around 4 or 5 a.m. to avoid peak hours. Bring some mooncakes for snacks, and remember that safe driving is the top priority.
