Yesterday officially kicked off the 2015 Spring Festival travel rush. This year's rush will last 40 days, from February 4th to March 16th, and the number of travelers is expected to break records again. According to the Ministry of Transport, excluding public buses and taxis, the total number of passenger trips nationwide is expected to reach 3.2 billion, a 3.4% increase compared to 2014. Of these, approximately 295 million will be by rail, a 10% increase.
Nearly 3.2 billion trips—what a spectacular sight! This means that everyone across the country will travel at least twice in this short period, including those by car. What nation could bear such a heavy burden of transportation and such a massive migration? Only China, because this is a uniquely Chinese characteristic, a cultural custom that every Chinese person must possess, and the filial piety of the Chinese nation.
"Whether rich or poor, go home for the New Year; there will always be a New Year's Eve dinner at home." Every year during the Spring Festival travel rush, as the festive atmosphere grows stronger, travelers from all walks of life, filled with family affection and homesickness, head to bus stations, train stations, and airports, embarking on a journey that is both arduous and heartwarming. Upon returning home, the fatigue from the bumpy journey transforms into sweetness in the home-cooked meals prepared by their parents, and the short stay at home makes the homesickness last longer.
This massive migration of people across the country during the Spring Festival travel rush not only touches people's hearts but is also intricately intertwined with elements such as human dignity, rights, safety, and emotions. Precisely because of this, the Spring Festival travel rush has always been a major test of the public's trust in the government and railway, passenger station, and civil aviation systems, and people seem to have become more accustomed to using the Spring Festival travel rush to measure the government's performance in this regard. With the pace of the times, China's railways have entered the high-speed rail era, highways the expressway era, and civil aviation the era of the common people. Citizens naturally demand high efficiency in the Spring Festival travel rush. Since so much taxpayer money has been spent on building high-speed rail, expressways, and civil aviation stations, those returning home should be able to travel faster and more comfortably. While we can't say the Spring Festival travel rush is completely over, significant improvements are undeniable.
Looking back at the past few years of Spring Festival travel rush, it's undeniable that we, society, and the government have all progressed. Each year's Spring Festival travel rush is a rich collection of stories of national migration. Looking at it longitudinally, its changes and continuities are a microcosm of the times moving forward. It must be acknowledged that with the improvement of railway, high-speed rail, and highway networks, people's travel options have become more diversified; the opening of multiple ticketing channels, including the internet, has eased the difficulty of buying tickets; even the long-criticized congestion of the 12305 website has improved. These can all be seen as visible progress during the Spring Festival travel season. Our means of transportation have gradually evolved from slow, shaky buses to the current situation where trains are the main mode of transport, and passenger transport and air travel are flourishing.
The Spring Festival travel rush is on the road, we are on the road, and our society is also on the road—it's a process of sharing joys and sorrows, and sailing together in solidarity. From government departments to transportation companies, from travelers to those who remain, everyone has a responsibility to take action, support each other, and move forward hand in hand. Even a kind reminder, a civilized queue, or a cup of hot tea contains positive energy to change the status quo and is a cornerstone for building a warm journey home.
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