File photo: CGTN

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China is expected to see around 1.7 billion passenger trips during the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush, the Ministry of Transport said Wednesday.

An average of 40 million passenger trips will be made every day during the 40-day travel rush, up more than 10 percent from the 2020 level, Wang Xiuchun, an official with the ministry, said at a press conference.

The figure is down over 40 percent from the 2019 level, Wang said.

The Spring Festival travel rush, also known as chunyun, lasts for 40 days from Jan. 28 to March 8 this year.