A steward works on a train at the Changsha Railway Station in Changsha, capital of central-south China's Hunan Province, on January 8, 2009. The Spring Festival travel period, known as Chunyun in Chinese, will start officially on January 11. Some 30 temporary trains are ready in Changsha as the preparation work is in place to ensure the safe and orderly operation during the peak travel season. [Xinhua]

China expects 2.32 billion travelers during the upcoming 40-day travel peak as people flock home for the traditional Spring Festival holiday, government authorities said on Thursday.

That represents a 3.5-percent growth from the same period of last year, according to officials at a teleconference held here Thursday by eight central government departments.

The eight departments included the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Public Security and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Local officials must step up scrutiny to ensure travel safety and make preparations for emergencies, said Liu Tienan, deputy chief of the NDRC, the country's top economic planner.

Freezing rains and snow over the past few days have blocked some roads in southern China. Local governments have been urged to step up maintenance efforts to ensure major roads are safe and clear.

Early last year, a worst-in-decades snow and ice onslaught hit southern regions and paralyzed many roads and railways, stranding millions heading for a family re-union during the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The country will see a record 188 million train takers in this year's Spring Festival travel rush, 8 percent more than the same period last year, Xinhua learnt from the Thursday meeting.

Railway authorities in the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou have added 319 temporary express passengers trains for the holiday rush.

In the busy period, which lasts from January 11 to February 19, the number of air travelers will rise 12 percent year on year to 23.2 million.

Travelers by bus and by water will reach 2.07 billion and 31 million respectively, up 3 percent and 8 percent.

The Spring Festival falls on January 26 this year.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2009)