BEIJING, Feb 1 — Carrying luggage and queuing at Beijing’s main railway station, tens of thousands of people in the Chinese capital began heading home on Friday for family reunions to mark the February 8 Lunar New Year.

The annual mass migration this year started on January 24 and will last till March 3, with passenger volumes expected to reach more than 2.91 billion, according to China’s National Development and Reform Commission.

Passengers wait to board a train at a railway station, in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China, January 30, 2016. — Reuters pic
Passengers wait to board a train at a railway station, in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China, January 30, 2016. — Reuters pic

“I think the spring festival is a traditional festival for Chinese people. No matter how busy you normally are outside your home town, at this time, you must go back home to celebrate the festival,” Li Zongze, 21, said.

“It is only once a year, and I think it is a Chinese tradition. I think going back home now is the most exciting moment, when you feel the most homesick.” — Reuters