Transport authorities enact plans for festival exodus

About 3.62 billion journeys will be made during the 40-day Chinese new year rush period of 2014 - 200 million more than 2013 - a National Development and Reform Commission official predicted on Wednesday.

Next year's Spring Festival falls on January 31 and the chunyun, or Spring Festival transportation period, lasts from January 16 to February 24, Vice-Minister of the commission Lian Weiliang explained at a teleconference, the Oriental Morning Post reported.

As the most important holiday for family reunions, most Chinese people will go home, creating the largest annual human migration in the world.

An extra 337 trains have been laid on for an estimated 257.8 million passengers during the period, 7.9 percent more than 2013, the China Railway Corporation said.

Chinese people will make 3.2 billion road trips on long-distance coaches, charter buses and tour coaches during the period, up 5.8 percent, the Ministry of Transport forecast on Tuesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Boat passengers will edge up 1.1 percent to 43 million, the ministry also forecast.

As of Monday, passengers could begin buying train tickets online or by telephone for January 16, the China Railway Corporation said.

Tickets for temporary trains also went on sale on Monday, five days before tickets for regular trains become available.

People can book tickets for temporary trains 25 days before the travel date via the Internet or telephone, while train stations and train ticket agencies are selling their tickets 23 days ahead, according to the corporation.

In the meantime, many places have cancelled expressway toll fees from January 31 to February 6.

Drivers will still have to pay on January 30, the Chinese lunar new year's eve, reports said.