Chinese travelers made an estimated 235 million bus trips during
the weeklong Spring Festival holiday, the Ministry of
Communications said on Tuesday.
The figure represents a 3.4 percent rise from the same period
last year despite the worst winter storms in half a century leading
to highway congestions in many parts of the country.
The ministry expected a record 2.15 billion bus trips, or five
percent more than a year earlier, for family gatherings and
holidays during the 40-day road transport peak from Jan. 23 to
March 2.
Meanwhile, 6.15 million Chinese made water trips during the
seven days, down three percent year-on-year.
The ministry had 120 search and rescue vessels, nine helicopters
and 18 emergency rescue teams on standby for possible maritime
accidents.
To ease the coal shortages caused by transport disruptions and
rarely low temperatures, China's waterway system carried 8.88
million tons of coal during the holiday, up 76 percent from the
same period last year.
(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2008)