China’s Lunar New Year travel rush has kicked into high gear, with billions of trips expected in coming days for the peak of the 40-day annual mass migration — the world's biggest annual movement of humanity.

The Lunar New Year travel rush, known as Chunyun in Chinese, is often seen as a barometer for China's economic health and a pressure test for its vast transportation system. How long is it? This year's Lunar New Year travel rush kicked off on Tuesday and will last for 40 days, concluding on Feb. 22.

Travellers thronged railway stations and airports on Friday, clutching large suitcases and gifts such as boxes of fruit as they joined millions of Chinese returning to their hometowns to celebrate the Lunar New Year festival with family.

Chinese travelers have begun to travel to their hometowns as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival draws near. The Chinese Lunar New Year for 2025, representing the year of the Snake, falls on 29 January and local officials expect 9 billion trips during the 'Chunyun',