It's busy at the Beijingnan Railway Station on Saturday morning, as it is the first day of this year's Spring Festival travel rush, which is also known as the world's largest annual human migration.

Traveler "I am very excited. It's been a while since I left my hometown in Shandong Province. I decided to go home this morning, now I am at the station."

This year, China's total passenger trips during the holiday are forecast to increase by 99.5 percent over 2022, to about 2.1 billion, according to the country's Ministry of Transport. The authority said it is a challenging travel rush, on account of many uncertainties over the coronavirus and huge number of travelers.

FU JIE Beijingnan Railway Station Spokesperson "Our railway station expects a total number of passenger trips to reach 3.2 million within 40 days. To better tackle the uncertainties, we've optimized security check process, arrange more shuttle buses for passengers, and open up waiting lounges for children and the elderly."

BI RAN Beijingnan Railway Station "The risk of getting infected has increased due to the dense flow of people. So, virus management will be one of the focal points for the frontline transport staff."

HAN WENWEN Special Care Team Leader "We provide many types of support to travelers, from helping senior citizens in wheelchairs to check in to guiding disabled passengers. We have free mask machines around the station, all passengers could use it to get masks."

To lower COVID infection risks for travelers, the station is implementing measures, such as distributing free masks, conducting regular disinfection and setting a passage for people with special needs.

Amid the large travel rush, all levels of transport agencies in China are prepared with the highest standards and specific feasible measures. Bi Ran, CGTN, Beijing.