China Prepares for January Travel Rush

China´s airlines, trains and bus companies have been ordered to prepare for a flood of passengers as tens of millions of Chinese head for their hometowns for the Lunar New Year holiday, an annual migration that began this month.

During the month-long Spring Festival holiday which begins January 14, travelers in the world´s most populous nation are expected to make 2.04 billion trips, up 3.1 percent from last year, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The State Development and Reform Commission has urged relevant departments to make sure that additional trains, buses, ships and planes are organized to meet demand.

Local governments have also been ordered to ensure adequate fuel oil supplies are available during the holiday, it said.

The Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important family holiday in China and in ethnic Chinese communities around the world, and is the key season for the country´s tourism industry.

China´s transportation network has long been pushed to its limits during the holiday, while a booming economy in recent years has seen the number of travelers soar.

Airline passengers are expected to make 15 million trips and 1.8 billion trips will be made by car or bus, the local news wire service said.