2.8 billion trips expected during Spring Festival in China

Two young passengers board a train with their guardian on Jan 5, 2014 at the Hangzhou Railway Station in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/IC]

BEIJING - A total of 2.807 billion trips are expected to be made by Chinese people during the Spring Festival travel rush, according to the Ministry of Transport Thursday.

The number, which excludes trips through public buses and taxi, is 3.4 percent higher than the previous year, said Xu Chengguang, spokesman of the ministry.

The 40-day travel frenzy is known as "Chunyun", the hectic period surrounding Chinese New Year which falls this year on Feb. 19. Chunyun began on Feb. 4 and will last until March 16.

Several new high-speed railways have been built and put into operation in 2014 that will further help reduce crowds during the travel rush, Xu said.

China Railway Corporation earlier this month had announced plans to run more trains to cope with the travel rush.

Chinese New Year celebrations, known as Spring Festival, are China's most important family holiday, with hundreds of millions of people heading to their hometowns to meet with relatives and old friends, putting huge stress on transportation system.

Chinese people have never been more affluent and keen to travel, nor have there ever been more migrant workers in cities far from home. Every year, stress on the transportation system becomes greater and greater, despite great improvements in infrastructure over the last few years.

The transport networks -- road, rail, aviation and waterways -- have set new highs for "Chunyun" numbers almost every year in the past decade.

Railways are expected to see a rise of 10 percent in passenger trips year on year, a greater rise than any other transport options, official data showed.

Different faces, same longings for home

As Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations approach, China's transport network will carry a record number of passengers during the upcomingchunyun, a peak travel period around Spring Festival.

Up to 2.8 billion trips, up 3.4 percent year-on-year, are expected to be made via roads, railways, air and waterways during the 40-daychunyun, which begins on Feb 4 and lasts until March 16, said the National Development and Reform Commission. It forecast that railways are expected to see the biggest rise of 10 percent in passenger trips during the period compared to other transport methods. Meanwhile, 47.5 million trips are predicted to be made by planes, up 8 percent year–on-year.

Chinese New Year celebrations, known as Spring Festival, which falls this year on Feb 19, are China's most important family holiday, with hundreds of millions of people heading for their hometowns to touch base with relatives and old friends. Let's take a look at some moving pictures during earlierchunyun.

A passenger faints at the Guangzhou Railway Station, Jan 31, 2008. [Photo/CFP]