(Yicai) Feb. 3 -- Shanghai’s railway network handled 416,000 passengers yesterday, the first day of the Chinese New Year travel rush, marking the start of the world’s largest seasonal migration as migrant workers return home or people head out for the holidays.

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station accounted for 216,000 departing passengers, followed by Shanghai Railway Station with 111,000, Shanghai South Railway Station with 52,000 and Shanghai Songjiang Railway Station with 33,000, according to estimates by the city’s railway authorities.

The Chunyun period runs from Feb. 2 to March 13 this year. To meet demand, Shanghai railway authorities have temporarily added 18 trains to popular destinations such as eastern Anhui and Jiangsu provinces as well as southwestern Guizhou province.

The main hall of Hongqiao Railway Station is packed with passengers patiently waiting for their trains.

A maintenance worker walks up and down the tracks checking that the train is in good condition.

Mr. Wu, his wife and one-year-old daughter, who live in Shanghai for his job, prepare to board high-speed train G4021 to return to their hometown of Guiyang for the holidays.

A train conductor makes final checks before the G4021 train, carrying 204 passengers, departs. The G4021 is one of the extra trains added for the holidays. Headed for Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, it stops at cities such as Hangzhou, Nanchang and Changsha along the way.

A young boy admires an elaborate lantern installation celebrating the upcoming Year of the Horse at Shanghai Railway Station. All the city’s railway stations are decorated with Spring Festival-themed ornaments and they will also host activities such as cultural performances, lantern displays and fairs.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Kim Taylor