When is the free expressway period in 2020?
3 Answers
2020 expressway free periods are: 1. During the epidemic prevention and control period, February 17 to April 30; 2. Spring Festival, January 24 to February 8; 3. Qingming Festival, April 4 to April 6; 4. Labor Day, May 1 to May 5; 5. Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, October 1 to October 8. The vehicles eligible for free expressway passage are passenger vehicles with 7 seats or fewer (including 7 seats) traveling on toll roads, including motorcycles permitted on ordinary toll roads. Expressways are high-grade roads, fully enclosed with much higher speeds than national and provincial highways. In road signs, expressways are marked similarly to national highways, starting with the letter G, such as G2 Expressway; provincial expressways start with S, like S30 Expressway. Road signs feature white text on a green background with red or yellow horizontal bars.
I remember the toll-free periods on highways in 2020 mainly occurred during several major holidays. The Spring Festival period was from 00:00 on January 24th to 24:00 on the 30th, which happened to coincide with the extended Spring Festival holiday that year. The Qingming Festival period was from 00:00 on April 4th to 24:00 on the 6th. The Labor Day holiday was extended by several days, running from 00:00 on May 1st to 24:00 on the 5th. The National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival were combined, offering a full eight-day holiday from 00:00 on October 1st to 24:00 on the 8th. I often drove out for trips during these holidays. However, the toll-free policy only applied to small passenger vehicles with seven seats or fewer, so vehicles like minivans or large trucks still had to pay tolls as usual. The traffic during peak periods was extremely heavy, especially before the Spring Festival and National Day holidays. I usually set off a day earlier to avoid major traffic jams. It's good to stock up on snacks and water in the car in case of being stuck in traffic for hours. Most importantly, safe driving is crucial—don't push yourself with fatigue driving just to take advantage of the toll-free period. Making frequent stops at rest areas is always a wise choice.
As a mom who frequently travels with kids, the 2020 highway toll-free policy was quite convenient for our family. The seven-day free period starting from January 24th during Spring Festival made it easy to return to our hometown on New Year's Eve. The three-day Qingming holiday from April 4th to 6th was perfect for outings and tomb-sweeping. During the five-day Labor Day holiday from May 1st to 5th, we drove to nearby scenic spots. The eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from October 1st to 8th was the most enjoyable, as we went to the seaside for vacation. Before each trip, I always remind my kids to fasten their seat belts and properly secure the child car seat. During toll-free periods, there are more people and vehicles on the road, increasing the risk of accidents, so my husband and I take turns driving to avoid fatigue. Additionally, we check tire pressure and engine oil before hitting the road to prevent any issues on the highway. Budget-wise, while toll-free saves on road fees, we still need to carefully calculate fuel costs to avoid overspending.
