Hundreds of millions of Chinese studying or working away from their hometowns are rushing home to reunite with their families for the Spring Festival. Since the start of the Lunar New Year rush on Sunday, passenger movements have exceeded 18 million on trains alone. China has taken various measures to cope with the dramatic surge in passenger flows.

Hundreds of millions of Chinese studying or working away from their hometowns are rushing home to reunite with their families for the Spring Festival.

Passenger numbers are forecast to surge even higher this Thursday and Friday. Railway authorities in the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou have added 319 temporary express passenger trains to cope with the holiday rush.