Passengers on train K4159 hold the Chinese character fu, which means good fortune, before the train departs from the Beijing West Railway Station for Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, on January 14, 2025. Photo: Chen Tao/GT

As train K4159 left the Beijing West Railway Station to Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, at 12:02 am on Tuesday, China's annual Spring Festival travel rush, or chunyun, officially started. 

This year's Spring Festival travel rush is set to last until February 22, totaling 40 days. During these 40 days, a total of nine billion trips are expected to be made across the country, according to China's Ministry of Transport. 

According to the Xinhua News Agency, the term chunyun was first used by media in 1954. At that time, "green trains" were the mainstay of the passenger railway fleets. Today, the national comprehensive transportation network in China has reached a length of over six million kilometers, with various transportation systems rapidly developed, bringing the distance to 'home' closer than ever. 

During the 2025 chunyun, the number of passengers transported by nationwide railways is expected to exceed 510 million, averaging 12.75 million per day, which represents a 5.5 percent increase compared to 2024, according to a forecast by transport authorities.

Meanwhile, this year's spring travel rush also sees an increased appearance of China's homegrown C919 aircraft. All three C919 jets operated by China Southern were deployed on Tuesday to carry out 10 flights along four routes linking Guangzhou with the cities of Hangzhou, Shanghai, Haikou and Chengdu, according to Xinhua.

If you drive your new energy vehicles back home, it will also be more convenient. Over 30,000 charging piles and more than 40,000 charging parking spaces are available at national highway service areas, providing convenience for new energy vehicle owners.

If you have to transfer from a train to plane in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, it will also be more convenient. During the 2025 chunyun period, the China Railway Wuhan Bureau Group and Wuhan Tianhe International Airport have established a linkage mechanism that allows passengers to transfer from the high-speed train exit at Tianhe International Airport Station to Terminal 3 in just 3 minutes, achieving a seamless transfer from train door to airplane door within 45 minutes, Hubei Daily reported. 

If you need to cross the Qiongzhou Strait, which has the largest roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) transportation system in the world in terms of current cargo volume, to get home, you will find that its vehicle transportation capacity has been increased by 20 percent, making your homeward journey more efficient, according to Haikou-based news portal hinews.cn.

This year also marks the first Spring Festival travel rush since the Spring Festival was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Traditional elements and activities like Spring Festival scrolls and lion dances can also be seen at some railway stations and airports, increasing the festive atmosphere.

At the Beijing West Railway Station, the Global Times noticed that the K4159 train was adorned with traditional decorations like paper-cuts, Chinese knots and ribbons, and a red banner that read "homecoming is the essence of the Chinese New Year," infusing the reunion journey with warmth and holiday cheer. 

As chunyun rolls out, a vibrant China is moving forward to a prosperous new year and a promising future carrying the aspirations of the Chinese people.

Global Times

A father and son wave to the camera on train K4159 before it departs from Beijing West Railway Station for Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, on January 14, 2025. Photo: Chen Tao/GT

An intelligent charging robot charges a new energy vehicle at a service area in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang Province, on January 14, 2025. Photo: VCG

Passengers line up to check in at the Beijing Capital International Airport on January 14, 2025. Photo: VCG

Vehicles line to board a roll-on/roll-off ship at Yantai Port in East China's Shandong Province to go to Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, on January 14, 2025. Photo: VCG

Bullet trains park on storage tracks in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province, for inspection on January 14, 2025. Photo: VCG

Homeward journeys