The Chinese Lunar New Year is just around the corner and hundreds of millions of Chinese workers are already packing train and bus stations as they go home to their families to celebrate the holidays.

As the peak travel season gets into full swing this weekend, hundreds of millions of people are expected to go home for Spring Festival celebrations or head to holiday destinations for a vacation.

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Beijing's Ministry of Transport said Chinese travelers are expected to make 2.9 billion trips within a 40-day period from January 21 to March 3. 

                                                          Family reunion         

The Ministry said majority of the trips will fall in the weeks leading to the February 8 Lunar New Year.

Ma Xijie, a migrant worker from Sichuan province, said he is going to his mother's hometown for a family reunion. Ma is traveling by train with his son and wife.

"It's great to have the whole family sit down and enjoy a family dinner together. I have been working far from home with my kid for a whole year," he said.

Student Ren Chongyuan, waiting for his ride at the Beijing railway station, said it was easier to buy tickets this year compared last year despite having to book two months in advance.

                                                 Largest annual human migration

China's transport ministry has said the largest annual human migration may not be that severe this year due to Beijing's slow economy.

Reports said millions of workers have been laid off due to factory closures while other workers have been told to pack up earlier and go home to their families way ahead of the Chinese New Year.

Officials in Zhejiang province near Shanghai expect a 4.4 percent drop in traveling passengers traffic due to retrenchment and job separation of workers.

China registered 3.6 billion trips in the same holiday period last year.