As the world's largest annual human migration gathers steam the rush for train tickets is in full swing. The 40-day travel period during Spring Festival will see more than 100 million people travel home, and most will take the train. China's railway ministry says as of Sunday its online ticketing platform has sold 154 million tickets in little over a month. Despite the massive effort to get people home, it often takes some creative travel planning to get there.
2,400 kilometres. That's how far 25-year-old Lin Yangyang has to travel to get from Shanghai where he works to his hometown in Xining, Qinghai Province. It’s not the distance that bothers him. Getting a ticket is his biggest hassle.
"It says there are tickets online. But it takes too long to load the page. By the time I get to click on it, the tickets are all gone." Lin said.
Lin finally figured out how to get back to his family. He’ll hopscotch his way home by taking seven different trains.
From Shanghai he’ll change trains in Nanjing, Bengbu, Xuzhou, Zhengzhou, Xi’an and Lanzhou, before arriving Xining. His convoluted itinerary means he had to buy 7 different trains tickets.
Lin is happy enough he’s found a way to get home at a time when tens of millions of people are trying to do the same thing.
"I understand the situation. It’s quite hard to build the official online ticket sales system for so many people. I’m sure it’ll improve in the future." Lin said.
If all goes well and Lin doesn’t miss a train, his journey will take him 30 hours ... only 6 hours longer than the direct train from Shanghai to Xining. It’ll cost half as much as a flight.
Lin is actually one of the lucky ones; he can manipulate the system on his computer. For millions of migrant workers who know little about buying tickets online the frustrations are far greater.
"There needs to be more information, especially for migrant workers. They need help with alternative routes home." Shanghai passenger said.
That’s exactly what railway authorities in Shanghai are attempting to do.
"If the tickets for direct routes are sold out, passengers can come to the station or dial 12306. Staff will help them get tickets to other cities where they can transfer to other trains." Shanghai station master Liu Jingke said.
Despite the numerous frustration stories, most reports show the railway’s online ticketing platform is much improved since its disaster debut three years ago. This travel season an average of 3 point 5 million tickets have been sold online every day, with a peak of more than five million tickets sold on January 9th.
