Spring Transportation (Passenger transportation) refers to the extremely high traffic load of transportation in China around Chinese New Year. It begins 15 days before the Lunar New Year, and lasts for around 40 days. This period is also called Spring Festival travel season, or Chunyun period.
Lots of people return home from work or study at a long distance from their hometowns to reunite with their families during the traditional Spring Festival. Further, many people travel for pleasure around the week-long holiday, adding to the pressure on the transportation system. The most affected modes of transportation are railway and road networks.
Passenger flow is very sensitive to disruption, such as bad weather. Severe snow storms in late January 2008 stranded many thousands of migrant workers as they attempted to get home. At one time 800,000 were at the main railway station in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Around 1.3 million troops were drafted to clear blocked roads and rail lines to enable people to travel.
Lots of people return home from work or study at a long distance from their hometowns to reunite with their families during the traditional Spring Festival. Further, many people travel for pleasure around the week-long holiday, adding to the pressure on the transportation system. The most affected modes of transportation are railway and road networks.
Passenger flow is very sensitive to disruption, such as bad weather. Severe snow storms in late January 2008 stranded many thousands of migrant workers as they attempted to get home. At one time 800,000 were at the main railway station in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Around 1.3 million troops were drafted to clear blocked roads and rail lines to enable people to travel.