Beijing railway stations are already packed with millions of workers and students heading home for Lunar New Year celebrations. About 210 million people are expected to use public transport over the Spring Festival period. This yearly migration is one of the biggest in the world.

For many, the Chinese New Year holiday is the only time they get off to visit their families back home.

[Ma Dongwei, Beijing Resident]:
"Because we are busy with work most of the time, it’s only during the Lunar New Year period that we can go back home and see our families."

Beijing’s South Railway Station is already packed a week ahead of the celebrations. Most passengers will have to squeeze into cramped seats. But for migrant worker Cao Hui, he doesn’t want to miss the chance of spending time with his family.

[Cao Hui, Migrant Worker]:
"The Lunar New Year is an important festival for families to gather together. So even if it’s very hard to travel back home, people will always find a way to travel home to get together with their parents.”

But one could say the travelers are the lucky ones, as these weeks are the busiest and hardest weeks of the year for those working in public transport.