The annual Spring Festival travel rush officially kicked off on Thursday across China. Travelers heading home are seen at train stations. /CFP

This year, the travel rush will run from January 28 to March 8, 40 days in total. Facing the resurgence of COVID-19 clusters, officials in many places have encouraged citizens to "stay put" during the Spring Festival holiday to keep people safe amid the pandemic. /CFP

In addition, authorities have rolled out measures allowing travelers to reschedule or cancel their tickets more easily. Also, frequent disinfections, temperature checking, mask-wearing policy and other precautionary measures were also implemented to control the spread of coronavirus. /CFP

Around 1.7 billion trips are expected during the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year season, 40 percent less than 2019 and 10 percent more than 2020, according to the Chinese Transport Ministry. /CFP