China's transport sector including highways, railways and airlines are busy preparing the upcoming annual peak travel season that will begin this weekend.

The 40-day-long traditional spring travel season will start on January 14 and end on February 22, occurring shortly before and after the Spring Festival.

The 2006 Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on Jan.29, traditionally the most important day for Chinese families to get together.

China's passenger flow during the 2006 spring travel season is expected to hit 2.042 billion persons, up 3.1 percent over the equivalent time last year, according to the State Development and Reform Commission (SDRC).

An estimated 144 million persons will travel by train in China during this period, averaging 3.6 million per day, say the SDRC.

Statistics from the Beijing Railways Bureau said the city's two major railway stations will send a total of 9.57 million people out of Beijing during the spring travel season.

The Ministry of Communications said that 1.86 billion people will travel by bus or coach, a year-on-year growth of 3.1 percent, while waterway traffic will hit 28 million.

The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) predicts that a total of 15 million passengers will travel by plane during the period, up 9.4 percent.

Air China and seven other Chinese airlines have arranged 8,400 additional and charter flights during the period to meet the surge in demand from the holiday market.

Limited for landing areas, flights to large cities like Beijing and Shanghai will be limited to 1,000 each day, said the CAAC.

Spring season travelers consist mainly of rural migrant workers, students on their winter holidays, professionals and a growing number of tourists.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2006)