Spring Festival rail tickets on sale

Train tickets for next year's Spring Festival travel rush will be available from Thursday, China Railway said.

The rush will start on January 10 and continue for 40 days until February 18. Some 440 million passengers will be on their way home or visiting relatives by train across China, about 8 percent more than the same period last year, China Railway said.

Before Spring Festival, which falls on January 25 this year, there will be 10,550 trains running on a daily basis, capable of transporting 10.1 million people. After Spring Festival, 10,820 trains will be in operation every day for people getting back to work. 

By the end of 2019, China's railway system will be 139,000 kilometers long, 35,000 of which are high-speed train tracks.

China Railway said more night trains will be arranged during the travel rush with 315 high-speed trains at night added, 50 percent more than last year.