China expected to see 9 bln passenger trips in upcoming travel rush

BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- China is expected to see 9 billion passenger trips during the annual Spring Festival travel rush, the Ministry of Transport said Tuesday.

The travel rush, usually a period of high transportation demand as people return home for family reunions, will last from Jan. 26 to March 5 this year.

Passenger trips via railway, highway, waterway and civil aviation are expected to hit 1.8 billion during the period, vice minister of transport Li Yang told a press conference.

About 80 percent of the trips will be self-driving trips, which are likely to hit a new high, Li said.