Holiday Travel Rush: 2018 railway traffic expected to ease

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It's that time of year again, when the country gears up for a 40-day national migration around the Chinese New Year. Railway tickets for the famously competitive Chunyun period go on sale today. Much of that ticket snatching is done on-line now, and that's only one part of the reason why this year may see the pressure ease. CGTN's Sun Ye reports from Beijing.

On the first day, the hard-to-get tickets go on sale. Getting them isn't a hassle anymore.

Wang Yinhua had established himself as THE ticket-master for rush routes over time. But with the data at hand this new year, he said he might slowly be out of a job.

WANG YINHUA, CHIEF ENGINEER QIHOO 360 TICKET SERVICE "Fewer people need the service now. Fewer by the year."

Thanks to fast developing on-line services and the expanding railway network.

WANG YINHUA, CHIEF ENGINEER QIHOO 360 TICKET SERVICE "We've seen railway capacity doubled in the last five years. And with high-speed trains speeding up and expanding, cutting down commute times, it's much easier to meet the demand."

But the guard should not be let down too soon as there are still busy routes and dates that need looking out for.

SUN YE BEIJING "It's the trend for the day. And most likely for the entire Chunyun period that Guangzhou would be the busiest place in the whole country. We're already seeing red-hot routes now, from Guangzhou to middle China's Jiangxi and Hubei province. As for Beijing, it's easy to get a ticket for the day."

Traffic will NOT stay light for much longer. As the capital is expected to empty out in the two or three days before the actual Spring Festival. So ticket-snatching, if there is one this year, will be two weeks from now.

"I'm still afraid that I won't get a ticket on the day given how many have been competing for the tickets to Shenyang in the past few years. But I can work it out changing the date of departure."

China Railway Corporation officials said that they will be able to handle 30 million MORE trips this year, and that's on top of the 350 million for the period in 2017. So maybe passengers this year CAN lay back, just a little. Sun Ye, CGTN, Beijing.