Could a 36-lane toll plaza actually fail to handle holiday traffic? In Anhui province, China, the answer is yes. On 6 October 2025, millions of travellers returning from the rare eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday became trapped in an unprecedented 36-hour traffic jam. The chaos erupted at the country’s largest Wuzhuang Toll Station, with vehicles from the G40 Shanghai–Shaanxi Expressway, G42 Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway, and Hefei–Nanjing Expressway all converging at one point.
Reasons for the Traffic Jam
Drone footage and viral videos on Weibo and Douyin revealed a mesmerising “river of red lights” as thousands of cars stood still for hours. Why did this happen? A mix of a free-toll policy for small vehicles, natural bottlenecks, unpredictable traffic surges, and heavy rain from Typhoon Maidem pushed the system to its limit. Authorities deployed tidal lanes and 66 extra toll booths, but the visuals left the world stunned.
In China, traffic caused by people returning home after the holiday was captured.
— Tansu Yegen (@TansuYegen) October 9, 2025
