The travel rush for Lunar New Year – also called the Spring Festival – has officially begun.
According to estimates shared by China’s Ministry of Transport earlier this month, an unprecedented 9 billion trips will be made over the next 40 days – until 5 March – as millions of people head back to their hometowns, or take extended breaks, for the festive period.
In the Greater Bay Area (GBA), provincial authorities estimate passenger volume will reach 127 million people – a year-on-year surge of almost 25 percent – with most travelling by road and rail.
[See more: The GBA is bracing itself for the Lunar New Year travel rush]
The movement of people is expected to peak on 8 February. Railway authorities warn that based on current sales, services from Shenzhen to Nanning, Wuhan and Chongqing from 3 to 6 February will be especially crowded.
High-speed rail capacity has been boosted in a bid to ease pressure. Guangzhou’s Baiyun Airport and Shenzhen’s Bao’an Airport will also see a greater number of flights over this period.
Closer to home, local media reports that more than 1,300 bus services will be made to and from Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) during the 40-day travel rush.
