As of Feb. 21, 2.7 billion trips had been documented during the 40-day travel period. Sixty percent of travelers made their trips via car or train, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Of an estimated 356 million rail passengers, about 214 million opted for high-speed trains, the ministry said. High-speed railway stations increased their number of trains to guarantee smooth travel. Around 70 percent of train tickets were bought online this year, while 60 percent were bought through mobile applications.

Among those who opted for road travel, buses were the preferred method of transportation for travelers going short distances. A report indicated that company employees and civil servants accounted for 74 percent of Spring Festival bus passengers.

Booking a free ride or renting a car online also became newly popular ways of returning home for the holiday. More than 8 million people carpooled home during the travel rush. Travelers leaving Guangzhou, Sanya and Beijing spent on average 1,297 RMB ($188.50) on car rentals, ranking among the country's top three locations for car rental expenditure.

The majority of plane trips taken during Spring Festival carried passengers from major cities to tourist destinations and back.

Advanced technologies such as facial scans, robots and VR navigation were also utilized to make this year's travel more convenient.