Buying a bus or train ticket back home for Spring Festival has never been so easy for migrant workers.

All they have to do is to collect 20 people going to the same destination and they will be issued "group tickets", the Ministry of Transport announced yesterday.

With more than 2 billion journeys expected during Spring Festival, which falls on Jan 26, it is of utmost importance to ensure migrant workers get back to their families, He Jianzhong, spokesman for the ministry, said at a press conference in Beijing while announcing new and hassle-free ways for workers to buy tickets.

Migrant workers can either apply for group tickets online, or at railway stations and bus depots across the country, He said.

Workers are entitled for group tickets if they can arrange a minimum of 20 people traveling on the same train or bus on the same day. If they arrange 500 people heading in the same direction, the ministry would even consider arranging a special train for them, He said.

"To avail of group tickets, workers will have to submit copies of their ID cards, three copies of the ticket list and a recommendation letter from their respective companies," He said.

Cai Yanmei, an official at the Beijing Railway Station said ever since 14 ticket counters had opened for migrant workers on Friday, the station has received "more than 2,000 applications" for group tickets.

Zhao Xingbo, a worker in the city's Yongchang Office Supplies Company, got some 50 tickets in a group purchase on Monday.

"I never thought buying tickets to return home during Spring Festival could be so easy.

"I had applied for the group tickets on Friday when the counters opened. In three days I had all the tickets in my hand. I can now finally feel at ease," the 35-year-old native of Harbin said.

Zhao has already made his plans for next year.

"I am going to find more people next year to get group tickets. It becomes easy for everybody," he said.

Jia Xiuzhen, an official in-charge of selling tickets at the Zhaogongkou long-distance bus station, said though a ticket counter especially for migrant workers had been opened since Friday, those who cannot come to the bus station can call 6423-7325 and book their tickets.

"We are confident about our capacity for the peak season," Jia said.

More than 760,000 buses will be on the roads and about 13,000 journeys will be made on sea during Spring Festival, the ministry said.

(China Daily January 7, 2009)