Oil prices set for sharp increase tomorrow night! Kunming residents rush to fill up ahead of weekend, long queues forming at multiple gas stations: a full tank could cost an extra 86.5 yuan

Rainy Road Petroleum Gas Station, cars lining up to refuel.

Tomorrow (March 23) at midnight, the domestic oil market will enter the sixth round of price adjustment in 2026. According to earlier media predictions, after this adjustment, 92-octane gasoline will increase by 1.71 yuan per liter, 95-octane gasoline by 1.82 yuan per liter, and zero diesel by 1.76 yuan per liter. Facing such a large increase, many Kunming residents chose to refuel their cars in advance.

This afternoon (March 22), reporters visited several gas stations in Kunming city and found that many had queues over 100 meters long, with some exceeding 400 meters. Unlike previous price hikes where queues only formed the night before, the significant increase this time has many car owners worried that traffic will be even more congested on Monday, so they chose to fill up early on the weekend.

• At Linyu Road China Petroleum Gas Station, all four fuel pumps were fully occupied with vehicles. Long lines also formed at the cashier windows. Due to heavy traffic, free car wash services inside the station have been suspended.

• At Zhong Petroleum Zhangbenhe Gas Station in Beishi District, the queue extended over 200 meters outside the station. On-site staff said the increase this time was indeed about 1.6 yuan.

• At Beijing Road Gas Station, there had never been a situation of occupying the road to queue for fuel before, but by that evening, the line of refueling vehicles had already occupied part of the non-motorized lane, affecting traffic flow.

The reporter noticed that many of the vehicles in line were SUVs and off-road vehicles with high fuel consumption. Some car owners said they were filling up before the price increase mainly to prepare for holiday travel.

In response to the sharp rise in fuel prices, the reporter interviewed several Kunming residents.

• Mr. Yang, born in the 80s, said the increase in fuel prices has little impact on him. He drives about 4,000 kilometers a year, mainly using a motorcycle for daily travel, and 30 yuan of fuel can cover 150 kilometers.

• Mr. Zuo, born in the 70s, believes the price hike is significant. He plans to reduce driving and prioritize green transportation options like buses and subways.

• Ms. Long, born in the 90s, admitted she hasn’t been paying attention to fuel prices, thinking that “young people should focus more on increasing income, and the price increase is negligible.” She is considering switching to new energy vehicles once the technology matures.

• Mr. Zhang, a self-driving enthusiast born in the 60s, has an off-road vehicle with a fuel consumption of over 10 liters per 100 kilometers. He believes the increase in fuel prices does not significantly affect his overall driving costs and will not cancel his travel plans.

• Mr. You, born in the 80s, owns both an electric and a gasoline car. He commutes daily with an electric vehicle and takes long trips with a fuel car during holidays. He thinks that the toll savings from free highway use can offset the increased fuel costs.

At the gas station, the reporter learned that on March 22, the price of 92-octane gasoline was 7.78 yuan per liter, and 95-octane gasoline was 9.03 yuan per liter.

With the price adjustment implemented, the price of 92-octane gasoline nationwide will fully enter the “9-yuan era.” Based on a typical 50-liter tank, filling up with 92-octane gasoline will cost about 86.5 yuan more, and filling with 95-octane gasoline will cost about 91.5 yuan more.

Spring City Evening News – Kaiping News Reporter Jiang Yang Photography Report

First Draft: He Xiaoyu

Editor: Yi Keyan

Proofreader: Li Hongrui

Chief Editor: Yan Yun