The public transport system is about to be put to the test, with 2.3 billion trips expected to be made over the 40 days of the Spring Festival season.
Transport officials said yesterday that the number of trips is expected to set a new record, up from 2.17 billion last year.
The number of pre-festival travelers is expected to peak between January 30 and February 5, while February 11, 12, 22 and 23 are expected to see the most number of trips being made after the festival.
The ministry has estimated that 2.15 billion bus trips will be made, up 5 percent on last year, and 29.5 million boat trips, up 3 percent.
Similarly, the Ministry of Public Security has urged traffic management departments to strengthen operations and prevent both large-scale traffic jams and serious accidents - of 10 fatalities and above - from occurring during the holidays.
The country's railways and civil aviation administrations have also made plans to handle the high passenger flow.
The railways are expected to carry 179 million passengers this year, an increase of 8.3 percent over last year, the Ministry of Railways said earlier.
The ministry has arranged for 311 additional passenger trains, including high-speed bullet trains, and has contingency plans to deal with emergencies.
The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) estimated that at least 22 million passengers will fly during the 40 days around the festival period, up 10 percent on last year.
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Brendan is an Australian who has been involved in education and writing for over a decade. He has published most recently for the Tiger Airways Inflight magazine, The Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times and Japan's Hiroshima Outside Magazine. He holds a Masters Degree in Community Development and Management and has resided in China for over 3 years.
