- Title: Lunar New Year mass migration in full swing in Shanghai
- Date: 25th January 2017
- Summary: SHANGHAI, CHINA (JANUARY 25, 2017) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS SHANGHAI RAILWAY STATION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DRAGGING SUITCASES AND WALKING IN SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 24-YEAR-OLD COMMUTER ZHANG XIN SAYING: "Going back home takes about 26 to 27 hours. Tickets were hard to buy, (I) just got a standing ticket, but (I) really want to return home as soon as possible to reunite with my family. The new year is around the corner, so my mood is pretty good." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DRAGGING SUITCASES AND WALKING INTO RAILWAY STATION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SEATED IN WAITING HALL (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 33-YEAR-OLD COMMUTER WANG GUIJIE SAYING: "Of course I've got a pretty happy mood now, because (I) will see my parents, children, my spouse and some relatives and friends. (I) have been working outside (my hometown) for one year, and haven't seen them for almost one year. Of course the mood is different." PEOPLE QUEUING UP PEOPLE WALKING INTO STATION PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS AND TAKING ESCALATOR TO GET ON TRAIN PEOPLE GETTING ON TRAIN MAN WALKING IN TRAIN MAN MOVING LUGGAGE ON RACK MEN SQUEEZING LUGGAGE UNDER CHAIR WINDOW VIEW OF TRAIN STATION AND BUILDINGS ON TRAIN BETWEEN SHANGHAI AND KUNSHAN CITY, JIANGSU PROVINCE, CHINA (JANUARY 25, 2017) (REUTERS) PEOPLE ON TRAIN PEOPLE PLAYING POKER ON TRAIN PEOPLE SITTING ON LUGGAGE IN CORRIDOR MAN LOOKING ON SMARTPHONE WHILE SITTING ON LUGGAGE IN CORRIDOR (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 30-YEAR-OLD COMMUTER WANG XIUPING SAYING: "No matter how long it takes, I think it is worth to stand. (My) mood is pretty good, and the feeling of going back home is a bit sad, I don't know why I have this kind of feeling. I feel like crying when mentioning it. I don't know why, I just feel like crying when I see people going back home or myself heading back home. I don't know why." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SITTING ON THE GROUND AT THE ENTRANCE
- Embargoed: 8th February 2017 10:13
- Keywords: China Shanghai mass migration Lunar New Year
- Location: SHANGHAI AND KUNSHAN CITY, JIANGSU PROVINCE, CHINA
- City: SHANGHAI AND KUNSHAN CITY, JIANGSU PROVINCE, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00160KVTQD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The world's largest mass human migration was in full swing on Wednesday (January 25) as people in Shanghai rushed to catch a train back home to reunite with their families for the Lunar New Year.
Two days were left before the eve of the Year of the Rooster, which falls on Friday (February 27), and people were seen running with suitcases towards the city's railway station.
Passengers said they were anxious to meet their families.
"Going back home takes about 26 to 27 hours. Tickets were hard to buy, (I) just got a standing ticket, but (I) really want to return home as soon as possible to reunite with my family. The new year is around the corner, so my mood is pretty good," said 24-year-old Zhang Xin from northwestern Gansu province.
"Of course I've got a pretty happy mood now, because (I) will see my parents, children, my spouse and some relatives and friends. (I) have been working outside (my hometown) for one year, and haven't seen them for almost a year," added 33-year-old Wang Guijie from central Henan province.
On the train, passengers with standing-room-only tickets had to make do with the little space afforded to them.
"No matter how long it takes, I think it is worth to stand. (My) mood is pretty good, and the feeling of going back home is a bit sad, I don't know why I have this kind of feeling. I feel like crying when mentioning it. I don't know why, I just feel like crying when I see people going back home or myself heading back home. I don't know why," said 30-year-old Wang Xiuping from Henan as she wiped away tears.
The 40-day travel frenzy around the week-long Lunar New Year celebrations began on January 13, and will last until February 21.
Around 9.49 million train journeys were expected to be made across the country on Wednesday alone, China Railway Corporation said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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