Millions in China head home for Lunar New Year in ‘record high’ migration | In the images of the News

Railway stations and airports across China saw peak passenger numbers ahead of the Lunar New Year as millions return home to spend the holidays with their families in what is expected to be a record annual migration.

Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, begins on Wednesday.

During the traditional 40-day period that runs before, during and after the holiday, about nine billion interprovincial passenger trips are expected, in all modes of transportation combined, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Travel by train and air is expected to “reach record highs” during this year’s migration, Xinhua said.

The Ministry of Transport said it expects 510 million train trips and 90 million air trips in that period.

According to China Railways, which has added thousands of trains to meet demand, Saturday was a “major rush hour” at stations ahead of the holiday.

It is said to use data from ticket sales and waiting lists to predict and regulate supply.

Considering that many people work and study in provinces other than their own because of better opportunities, there is a large population migration around the New Year holidays.

Many factories are already closed for the holidays, and such workers traditionally return home earlier than the rest of the population.