Passengers wait at Beijing West Railway Station on Jan 21, 2019. (Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn)
In Shanghai as well as Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, 464 ticket checking machines in railway and bus terminals allow swift passage using facial recognition technology.
Some 73 million flights are expected to be made over the holiday period, a year-on-year increase of 12 percent, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Beijing Capital International Airport, the country's busiest, said it expects to process 11.5 million passenger trips during the travel rush, a year-on-year increase of 4.4 percent.
In Shanghai, the city's two airports are expected to handle about 13.25 million passenger trips in total.
A staff member shows passengers the way in the waiting hall of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Jan 21, 2019. (Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn)
As the pressure on transportation departments increases, Vice-Premier Liu He visited transportation hubs in the capital on Sunday, including Beijing Railway Station and Beijing Capital International Airport, to inspect preparatory work for the travel rush.
He urged transportation departments to go all out to prepare for "the annual test" and make sure passengers travel safely and smoothly.
Spring Festival－which begins this year on Feb 5, Lunar New Year－is China's most important holiday for family reunions.
A passenger undergoes a facial recognition security check at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Jan 21, 2019. (Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn)
