The city of Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region began its annual Spring Festival travel rush, on Jan 24, with the first group of train travelers and the passenger volume at the station expected to reach around 1 million, or 14 percent more than that of the last year period.

Passengers wait to board a train at Baotou Railway Station, on Jan 24. [Photo/Baotou Daily]

Train police gives Spring Festival paper-cuts to passengers. [Photo/baotounews.com.cn]

Baotou station staff give New Year's couplets to passengers. [Photo/baotounews.com.cn]

The 40-day Spring Festival travel period runs Jan 24 - Mar 3 and buses are another option, with about 330,000 passengers expected to travel by bus for this year's rush.