China’s annual travel rush

During the annual Spring Festival (New Year’s) migration in China, known as the Chunyun, hundreds of millions of people heading home for the holiday — typically, workers and students in cities returning home to their rural families — make a combined three billion-plus trips on planes, trains, buses and other modes of transport.

The rush usually begins 15 days before the date of the Chinese lunar New Year, and the last day of the return migration occurs 25 days after that. (The Chunyun occurred Feb. 4-March 15 in 2015 and will be Jan. 24-March 4 in 2016.)

During the Chunyun, the availability of transport tickets is very low. By the way, up to 60 days in advance, Americans wishing to purchase tickets online for train travel in China can do so at www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains.