PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

By Cathy Wu, January 25, 2016

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China's 40-day-long chunyun, the world's largest annual human migration, kicked off yesterday. The number of passenger journeys in China this Spring Festival travel season is expected to reach 2.5 billion, which exceeds the population itself according to CCTV

Spring Festival falls on February 8 this year, but the 40-day travel period typically starts a fortnight before New Year's Eve.

READ MORE: Watch the world's largest annual human migration in real time with this amazing map

Shanghai Railway Station is expected to see 57.11 million tourists leaving the city, an increase of 8.5% year-on-year, according to people.cn.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

A child passenger on the first added train service for chunyun leaves Beijing at 11:49pm on Saturday, January 23.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

Kids at Bozhou Railway Station, central Anhui province, travel home with their family on Sunday, January 24.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

A railway worker in Shanghai stands on the platform, her cheeks and ears red in the freezing cold.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

Passengers wait in the line carrying heavy luggage at Shanghai Railway Station.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

A girl covers her boyfriend’s face with her hands to keep him warm in Guiyang Railway Station on Sunday, January 24.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

Station staff give monkey-themed gifts to tourists at Shanghai Railway Station, Sunday, January 24.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

Workers in Yunnan province remove ice from the railways to ensure safety.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

The traffic dispatching center at Shanghai Railway Station.

PHOTOS: World's Largest Annual Human Migration Begins

An old man carrying his household appliances rushes to catch his train in southern Guangxi province.

READ MORE: China, Here Are Your 2016 Public Holidays

[Photos via Yicai, People's Daily (12, 3 & 4), Xinhua]  

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