BEIJING — As China gears up for the Lunar New Year, known domestically as Spring Festival, hundreds of millions of people are embarking on journeys to their hometowns or overseas destinations ahead of the February 17 holiday, marking the world's largest annual human migration.
During the 40-day period surrounding the festival, travelers are expected to make a record 9.5 billion trips, an increase from the 9.02 billion recorded last year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. This staggering volume includes 540 million trips by train and 95 million by air, with the vast majority undertaken by road.
For countless workers who live far from their family homes, Spring Festival represents the sole annual opportunity to pause their labors and reunite with loved ones. This year's celebrations usher in the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac and commence on Sunday, featuring nine days of public holiday—one more than in previous years.
The scale of the migration underscores the cultural significance of the festival, transforming China's vast transportation networks into hubs of unprecedented activity. Rail stations, airports, and highways are bracing for the influx, as families prioritize this tradition above all others.
Xu Zhanyu, a 41-year-old finance worker in Beijing whose hometown of Tangshan lies about 100 miles away, captured the sentiment shared by many. Although he noted he could visit anytime, he emphasized the unique importance of the holiday during an interview Wednesday outside the bustling Beijing Railway Station.
“The biggest thing is the family reunion,” Xu said, highlighting the emotional core of the Spring Festival amid the chaos of travel preparations.
