Today is the first day of Chinese New Year, and the start of a week-long holiday in China, also called Spring Festival. It is often described as the Christmas period but then in China, a period in which those who have worked hard can finally take a rest. This often takes longer than just a week: the whole month is a time of taking it easy.

This is considered a good thing looking at the production side of the supply chain. Factories temporarily close their doors, production slows down and there is finally a little bit of space on the train, which enables the backlogs to disappear. After a year of congestion on the New Silk Road, this is a welcome relief.

Never stop running

On the other hand, this also means that the trains keep on running. If you are active in the rail freight industry, this holiday means everything but a month of relaxation. Many people work on in the evenings, take their laptops home or do not go on vacation at all. Moreover, many people won’t go home because of the ongoing pandemic, and travel restrictions this brings.

As the Chinese New Year clearly has an effect on the logistics industry worldwide, our Chinese sister publication RailFreight.cn has interviewed professionals in various positions to take stock of everyone’s New Year’s plans. We asked the simple question: what are you going to do?

A railway undertaking

A person working for a railway company: “We have a three-day holiday for the Spring Festival, but we plan to start the first train of the New Year on 4 February. For this, we are currently preparing and communicating intensively.”
“The deputy general manager of the company in charge of the business does not rest during the Spring Festival. He is the one on duty, leading the team. Every year, one business leader stays behind to lead the team.”

As a result, the train can keep on running during the Spring Festival, he explains. “The front-line and on-site operators will celebrate the New Year together. “Our train does not stop during the holidays.”

A freight forwarder

A person working for a freight forwarder explained the Spring Festival as follows: “Four words: work overtime at home. During the Spring Festival, the import and export trains will run as usual, and the operations will be more difficult.

“During the Spring Festival, we don’t need to work in shifts, everyone will have a holiday together. But when we are on vacation, we all take our laptops home and respond to our emails at night, so we do not delay work.”

Going home is not an option this year, but there are things that can be done to get the holiday vibe, the freight forwarder says. “We will go to the surrounding hot spring hotels, to the library, to the science and technology museum, and the New Year will be over.”

Another freight forwarder explains: “From the freight forwarder’s point of view, it is not desirable to run trains during the holidays. The railway companies and customs are understaffed. If an adjustment is needed, it will be very troublesome. If there is a problem that needs to be solved urgently, this can be an issue.”

An operator

“ I still need to go to work, but the workload will be relatively less. Chinese colleagues will bring meals or order Chinese food together, and have a good meal together. They will also watch the Spring Festival Gala live broadcast on YouTube in the company, and they are generally relaxed”, says an operator on the New Silk Road.

Another operator adds: “Usually it is not too busy during the Spring Festival. I plan to take a few days of annual leave and have a meal with local Chinese friends. Let’s fight again next year!”

A shipper

Although people from the logistics industry are never really away, the shipper has another perspective: “I will be on vacation. I don’t need to work overtime at all, I will start receiving goods after the new year”, one shipper says.

“There are no arrangements for the Spring Festival, and overtime is not necessary. Import and export goods are still dispatched.”