Holiday rush starts on Friday in China as Spring Festival draws near

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Chinese people are now switching to holiday mode as they ready themselves to pack their bags and hit the road back home to mark the Spring Festival, the most important family celebration in the country.

It is a time of joy, but also stress as the occasion triggers the world’s largest mass migration with hundreds of millions journeying across the country to be with their families.

A whopping 2.978 billion trips are expected to be made nationwide between January 13 and February 21, according to the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planner.

The Chinese New Year falls on January 28 this year, and many Chinese will battle their way home on New Year's eve to watch a special gala prepared by China Central Television. The annual five-hour variety show broadcast since 1983 has become an essential part of spending the night.

The 40-day travel rush will undoubtedly add pressure on the country’s transport system. Uncertain winter weather conditions, such as snow and heavy fog, might also bring challenges this year around.

Authorities are gearing up for the dramatic surge in people on the move across the country with measures accommodating the increase in passenger volume as well as arrangements ensuring their safety.

On Friday, the first day of the festival rush, at least 3,500 trains, 840,000 buses, 20,000 ships and 11,000 flights will operate across China, according to official estimates, bringing passengers closer to their loved ones.

Travelling by road is the most popular means of transportation, with 2.52 billion journeys expected in the course of the next few weeks.