In pics: 2026 Spring Festival travel rush kicks off across China

Passengers and railway police pose for a picture at a Spring Festival travel rush-themed activity on train G2815 on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Xi Biao)

The 2026 Spring Festival travel rush is in full swing across China. It's not just a massive movement of people, but also an expression of their longing and emotions for reunion.

Many moments of warmth shine through the cold winter, like trains filled with travelers eager to reunite with loved ones, Spring Festival decorations that create a joyful festive atmosphere, volunteers assisting passengers with their luggage, and the thoughtful service of train attendants, turning long journeys into memories of comfort and warmth.

A police officer hands out brochures and materials printed with safety tips and anti-fraud hotline numbers at Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station, Beijing, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Li Shiqi)

A boy poses for a picture in the waiting hall of Changchun Railway Station in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Li Yang)

Passengers get their tickets checked at Tianjin Railway Station in north China's Tianjin Municipality, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Tao Jian)

The Spring Festival travel rush officially kicks off at Harbin Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Su Jinggang)

Passengers are about to board a train at Fuyu North Railway Station in northeast China's Liaoning Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Wang Haiyue)

Passengers are seen in the waiting hall of Hangzhou East Railway Station in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Yongtao)

Middle school students from Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, pose for a picture at the Zhuhai land port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, on Feb. 2, 2026. They are going to Macao on a study tour. (People's Daily Online/Wang Yadie)

A young interpreter from the Inner Mongolia Museum shares stories behind cultural relics at Hohhot East Railway Station in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Zhao Mengyue)

Passengers get their tickets checked before boarding the first train of the Spring Festival travel rush in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, at around 5 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Wang Xing)

A train attendant poses for a picture with a passenger on train G8155 on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Zhou Songxue)

A ship leaves Xinhai Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Meng Fansheng)

Calligraphy enthusiasts write Spring Festival couplets for passengers at Wuchang Railway Station in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Pei)

Passengers wait to board a ship at Xinhai Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Fu Wuping)

A woman surnamed Yu and her child, from Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, arrive at Changchun West Railway in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, to visit her mother, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Wang Diyuan)

A staff member helps a passenger with his luggage at Jianshui Railway Station in southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing)

Two primary school students present the Chinese character "Fu", which means good fortune, on two pieces of paper, to staff members at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station in Shanghai, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Gong Sha)

Passengers participate in a lantern-riddle guessing activity in the waiting hall of Fuzhou Railway Station in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Jiao Yan)

A calligraphy artist presents the Chinese character "Fu", which means good fortune, on a piece of paper, to a passenger at Jinan Railway Station in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Qiao Shu)

Passengers are seen at Urumqi Railway Station in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Li Xinyang)

A train attendant checks a passenger's ticket before the latter boards train K1297 at Yinchuan Railway Station in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Liang Hongxin)

Train attendants greet passengers through sign language on intercity train C2768 running from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport to Kaifeng, central China's Henan Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Wang Yuxing)

Railway police officers conduct a safety publicity activity at Baiyangdian Railway Station in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Song Yewen)

A passenger happily shows the Chinese character "Fu", which means good fortune, on a piece of paper, and Spring Festival couplets she has received, at Shijiazhuang Railway Station in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Li Zhaomin)

Railway police officers and train attendants aboard train Z22 running on the Qinghai-Xizang Railway extend Spring Festival greetings to passengers on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Tsering Norbu)

Warm and thoughtful services are provided in an orderly manner in the waiting hall at Hangzhou East Railway Station in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Feb. 2, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Guo Yang)

Volunteers offer assistance to passengers at self-service ticket machines at Hangzhou East Railway Station in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Feb. 1, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Ye Binde)

Passengers returning to southwest China's Guizhou Province from other places walk out of Guiyang North Railway Station in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou, on Jan. 31, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Tu Min)

A mechanic inspects equipment on a high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train at a maintenance depot in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Jan. 30, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Jiao Long)

Passengers pose for a photo at Xi'an North Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on Jan. 29, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Bai Ge)