Beijing - China's 1.3 billion people are expected to make some 2.32 billion trips on road, rail, air and shipping networks over the upcoming lunar new year holiday, or Spring Festival, state media said on Sunday. Transport officials have prepared for a 40-day annual peak from Sunday, with rail and bus stations already packed with people waiting for tickets, the official Xinhua news agency said.
Most of China's 100-million-plus migrant workers try to return home for traditional family dinners during Spring Festival, while people who have moved to cities often visit their home villages and many middle-class urban residents take vacations.
The railway ministry has forecast some 188 million train trips over the holiday period, an average of 4.7 million passengers daily.
The agency said the annual passenger peak began earlier this year in areas where many migrants were laid off or redundant because of the impact of the global financial crisis.
It said police were already "having a hard time patrolling railway stations," where most passengers carry large amounts cash and other valuables aboard trains, making them prime targets for thieves.
Last Spring Festival, heavy snow and freezing temperatures brought chaos to transport networks in central and southern China, forcing millions of people to cancel or delay their trips home.
