This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/world/asia/china-lunar-new-year-travel.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
China’s Lunar New Year Migration Off to a Difficult Start China’s Lunar New Year Migration Off to a Difficult Start
(about 13 hours later)
HONG KONG — The Lunar New Year makes for trying travel in China, as hundreds of millions of people board trains, planes and buses to visit family and celebrate the country’s most important holiday. HONG KONG — The Lunar New Year makes for trying travel in China, as hundreds of millions of people board trains, planes and buses to visit family and celebrate the country’s most important holiday.
When the weather turns bad, the journey can turn nightmarish, with huge crowds stuck at stations waiting to get home.When the weather turns bad, the journey can turn nightmarish, with huge crowds stuck at stations waiting to get home.
This year, the weeklong holiday begins on Sunday, and snow and ice in central China have led to a particularly bad start to the travel period. In the southern city of Guangzhou, 100,000 people gathered around the main train station on Monday as poor weather caused rail service delays, the Guangzhou-based newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily reported. Huge crowds waited through the night, but photographs showed they were orderly. This year, the weeklong holiday begins Sunday, and snow and ice in central China have led to a particularly bad start to the travel period. In a southern city, Guangzhou, 100,000 people gathered around the main train station on Monday as poor weather caused rail service delays, the Guangzhou-based newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily reported. Huge crowds waited through the night, but photographs showed they were orderly.
On Tuesday morning, 22 trains were delayed by at least an hour, the Guangzhou Railway Corporation said.On Tuesday morning, 22 trains were delayed by at least an hour, the Guangzhou Railway Corporation said.
By Tuesday afternoon, the number of people waiting outside had dropped to 22,500, after city officials restricted road and subway access to the station, Southern Metropolis Daily said. By Tuesday afternoon, the number of people waiting outside had dropped to 22,500, after city officials restricted road and subway access to the station, the Southern Metropolis Daily said.
Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong, China’s most populous province and host to the country’s largest number of migrant workers. Poor travel seasons are often felt most drastically in the city.Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong, China’s most populous province and host to the country’s largest number of migrant workers. Poor travel seasons are often felt most drastically in the city.
So far, conditions have not reached the state of 2008, when accidents set off by snow and ice killed at least 24 people across the country and when as many as 800,000 people waited in cold rain outside the Guangzhou station. More than 12 million of the province’s 30 million migrant workers were not able to make it home that year, and some ended up celebrating the holiday with colleagues.So far, conditions have not reached the state of 2008, when accidents set off by snow and ice killed at least 24 people across the country and when as many as 800,000 people waited in cold rain outside the Guangzhou station. More than 12 million of the province’s 30 million migrant workers were not able to make it home that year, and some ended up celebrating the holiday with colleagues.