It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry

Normally, this weekend would be considered to be the beginning of what has been described each year as the greatest mass movement of humanity in world history. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival as it is known here, is coming. January 26th. The Year of the Ox. Moo!

Most Chinese people head home for the holiday from wherever they are working or studying. This weekend, most universities and colleges ended classes and exams, so the students are the first to travel. In order to relieve pressure at the railway and bus stations, the relevant authorities set up ticket offices in the local colleges.

This year, however has been slightly different. The world economic crisis has meant that many migrant workers have gone home earlier, having lost their jobs as factories close.

Still it is better than last year when literally millions were trapped in stations as the Chinese train system collapsed under the worst weather for a generation.

At the same time. the local newspaper tells me that the local railway bureau have proudly announced that we can now travel to Guiyang, capital of neighbouring Guizhou Province, in a mere 5 hours. It previously took 14. After four years of work, they have just opened an electrified service between the two cities. Unfortunately, the train they have chosen to illustrate the story looks less than comfortable.

Me? I'm staying at home. Travelling with the millions isn't my idea of fun.

(It is estimated that more than 2.3 billion passenger trips will be made over the holiday including 188 million train journeys.) 

tags: china  liuzhou  guangxi  guizhou  guiyang  trains  chinese new year  spring festival  railways  

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