BEIJING (AP) — Liu Zhiquan was waiting for a more than 30-hour train ride to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, about 1,242 miles (2,000 kilometers) from Beijing, where he works in construction.
He is one of hundreds of millions of people expected to return home ahead of the Lunar New Year on February 17 as part of the world’s largest human movement, known in China as the Spring Festival Transport.
“This year’s situation is worse than last year. The economy is not good and it is getting harder and harder to make money,” he said.
To save money, Liu chose a slower train: the high-speed train only takes nine hours but costs more than twice as much.
Still, he chose to make the 30-hour journey home for the holiday, the only time of year when workers across the country get to rest and spend time with their loved ones.
According to information from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Chinese government expects tourist arrivals in the 40 days before and after the festival to reach 9.5 billion, a record high. About 540 million of them will travel by train and 95 million by plane. The rest will be on the way.
Lunar New Year is a precious time in a country where workers work long hours, including weekends, and take several days of annual leave.
At a Beijing train station, the waiting area was crowded with passengers carrying large bags and boxes. Others ate instant noodles, a simple snack since hot water was provided for free at the station.
Tian Duofu, a young woman who recently started working full-time in Beijing, said she was looking forward to the nine-day holiday starting on February 15. “It has become more and more difficult for a big family to reunite. After I started working, I found that such a long vacation is rare, and the opportunities for us to meet are becoming less and less, which makes the Spring Festival very meaningful.”
“The Chinese New Year is a festival of the year, and if we don’t go home, we won’t be able to enjoy the festive atmosphere,” said Tian Yunxia, a Henan woman who runs a breakfast stall in Beijing. “I want to go home and see my children, my grandchildren and my husband.”