Spring Festival Travel Rush in China

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What is Spring Festival Travel Rush?
The Spring Festival Travel Rush, also known as Chunyun and Chunyun Migration in Chinese, or Chinese New Year Travel Rush, Lunar New Year Travel Rush is the largest human migration on earth happening annually. It usually begins 15 days ahead of the Chinese New Year and 25 days after, lasting for 40 days. The Chunyun 2019 lasts from January 21 to March 1. During the Spring Festival Rush, China, especially its railway system, faces an extremely high traffic load, which results in great difficulties to obtain a ticket, crowded railway stations and train carriages… 2019 / 2020 / 2021 China Public Holiday Calendar for your reference
What are the reasons of Chunyun?
Millions of people working or studying out of their hometowns will be hurrying home to reunite with families as the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) approaches. This long-held tradition is the main reason for the rush. The other is that the holiday is one of the two week-long holidays of the year, a perfect travel time for many people.
Traveling by Train during Spring Festival Travel Rush
Try not to travel by train during the Chinese Spring Festival. If have to, below are some tips for you to avoid troubles:
Buy tickets as early as possible
If your China tour is happen to be arranged during the Chinese Lunar New Year, you had better make early plan and contact a travel agency or ticket agency to book ticket for you.
To book the ticket on your own, you have to be in China, know some Chinese, and also have a Chinese bank card that supports online payment if booking through internet. Now a ticket can be bought through internet and telephone 30 days in advance and 28 days prior to departure at stations or some ticket windows in towns and cities; due to adoption of real-name ticket policy and identity verification, some ticket outlets in downtown are unable to issue tickets for foreign/ Hong Kong/ Macau/ Taiwan passengers. For detailed methods of booking a ticket, read How to Buy Tickets and How to Buy Tickets Online.
Please note that if you book through internet, you just need to pick up your ticket before departure at stations by showing your valid ID certificate, usually passport. During the Spring Festival Rush, there are more chances to get a ticket through internet than purchasing at stations or ticket windows.
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Reach the station at least 1.5 hours prior for boarding process
During the Chinese New Year Travel Rush, the steps of taking a train will take longer time as everywhere of railway stations are crowded with people, so you are advised to get to the station at least 1.5 hours prior to departure. Most stations will set temporary waiting rooms outside of station halls and air-condition and heat are not available, so remember to wear warm clothes as most cities in China are cold during Spring Festival.
Travel light & take care of your luggage
Avoid taking heavy luggage as it will be inconvenient for you waiting in lines to enter the station hall, check in, and get onboard. Also, take good care of your luggage when you are in the crowd. After you get into your carriage, keep your luggage in sight or put it under your lower berth, and try not to expose your personal information to strangers.
Upon arrival, get to your hotel by official transport
Do no throw away your ticket after arriving at your destination, as the ticket carries your personal information. When you get out of a station, ignore the “kind-hearted” venders and take official taxies or buses to your hotel.
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Railway Passenger Figures during Spring Festival Rush
Year | Passengers Volume (million) | Growth (%) |
---|---|---|
2019 (January 21st - March 1st) | 413 (prediction) | 8.3 |
2018 (February 1st - March 12th) | 382 | 6.8 |
2017 (January 13th - February 21st) | 357 | 10.1 |
2016 (January 24th - March 3rd) | 325 | 10.2 |
2015 (February 4th - March 15th) | 295 | 10.4 |
2014 (January 16th - February 24th) | 266 | 12 |
2013 (January 26th - March 6th) | 240 | 12.1 |

Train Travel in China during Holidays
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As far as booking the only thing I would change would be knowing the direction of the seats, upon our return trip we were seated in a beautiful car but opposite the train running direction. We gradually feel sick and had to find people in a lower class car to change seats. We will be returning next year with friends and will be taking the train again, we were very satisfied....More
I ordered train tickets and asked them to be waiting for me at the hotel reception. Three days before my arrival I received a tracking number for the tickets delivery. When I arrived to the hotel the tickets were waiting for me as promised.
The extra cost of 7 dollar that I had to pay for the delivery is noting in compare to the ease of boarding the train and the assurance that there will be no issue acquiring the tickets.
Thank you again and will sure use TravelChinaGuide it my next visit to China....More
IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY TO TAKE SUB WAY TO XINTIANDI HOTEL BEIJING DURING THIS RUSH DAY?
Do I have to take Privat transport ?
Thanks