Xu, the vice-minister of transport, said the 2023 Spring Festival Transportation Special Group is working with different government departments to encourage off-peak and flexible leave to reduce pressure on the transport system.

Xu is also the deputy director of the 2023 Spring Festival Transportation Special Group, a working group to enhance coordination among different departments to deal with all kinds of issues during the travel rush.

"It will be the most uncertain, complicated and challenging Spring Festival travel rush in recent years," Xu said, noting that the peak of human migration will coincide with that of the epidemic.

The transport sector has made efforts to meet travel needs safely, he said, and more transport services will be provided accordingly.

Better services at transportation hubs are being provided to benefit passengers.

To make travel easier, more channels — such as for security and ticket checks — will be opened to allow passengers to enter Qinghe Railway Station in Beijing, said Wang Xiaoyong, head of the station.

"This aims to improve passengers' experiences during the travel rush and reduce waiting times," he said.