BEIJING -- China's inter-regional passenger traffic surged to around 262.14 million on Thursday, the first day of the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, data from the Ministry of Transport showed Friday.

The figure represents a 70.34-percent increase compared with the same day of 2023, according to the ministry.

In detail, road and waterway trips experienced year-on-year growth of 68.5 percent and 53.36 percent, respectively.

Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival for people to pay tribute to the dead and worship their ancestors.