Millions of Chinese Head Home for Chinese New Year

Millions of Chinese have started traveling home ahead of the lunar New Year holiday this month.

Trains in the nation will be packed, with railway stations bracing themselves for as many as 210 million passengers during the week-long holiday.

Crowds of people are lining at counters at Beijing’s West Railway station hoping to get a ticket home.

[Dong Fang, Student]:
„It’s not easy to buy tickets. I wanted to buy a ticket on the 7th, but the tickets had already been sold out. There are only tickets for slow trains, no tickets available for the express train. That means I have to sit 12 more hours because I’m taking the slow train.“

For many of the millions of China’s migrant workers, the Spring Festival holidays are the only opportunity they get to see their families back home.

[Hu, Passenger]:
„I am traveling back home to see my parents. They are expecting me home. This is probably the only time I can be with them each year and my family is great. Nowadays, travel is very convenient.“

Crowded departures are just the beginning though, as the end of the holiday is expected to be just as busy, with millions returning to their jobs in the nation’s big cities.

NTDTV