BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese passengers will make 3.2 billion road trips during this year's "chunyun", a 40-day period around the Spring Festival, up 5.8 percent, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) forecast Tuesday.

Road passengers refers to passengers on long-distance scheduled coaches, charted buses and tour coaches, according to the ministry.

The MOT also forecast that passengers carried by boat will edge up 1.1 percent to 43 million.

The Spring Festival, lunar new year, is the country's most important traditional holiday for family reunions. Most people will go home for the festival, putting great pressure on the transportation system.

This year New Year falls on Jan. 31. This year's chunyun, literally translated as "spring transportation", is predicted from Jan. 16 to Feb. 24, 2014.