Rush over Spring Festival

Authorities estimate 35.74 million people will enter and exit the city over the Spring Festival period next month, up 5 percent on last year.

This year's 40-day-long Spring Festival travel rush starts on January 16, while the seven-day-long holiday itself starts on January 31. Local authorities said the number of people entering and exiting the city is expected to peak at around 10.5 million on January 28. The post-holiday climax will be around February 15, when the number will be around 1 million.

The local transport authority will also operate a hotline, "12319," through which travelers can register complaints about transportation issues. Buses and subway services will also extend their hours of operation when volumes of travelers peak.

The railways are expected to transport 9.3 million passengers over the period, up 10.8 percent on last year.

New bullet train services from Shanghai to northwestern cities like Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang, which opened this month, could also help relieve pressure on rail services, authorities said.