Millions piling for New Year train tickets, jam China's booking system

INTRO

Chinese New Year is traditionally a time for family reunions... And from Monday, Chinese can buy tickets home for their New Year using an online ticket website.

But despite recent rail expansions, trains are under higher pressure to meet capacity than ever before...As hundreds of millions of people try to cross the country...

China opened several new lines this year, including the new high-speed rail that can pass through frozen northeast China in minus 40 degrees...

And the world's longest high-speed rail, linking the capital Beijing, with the southern economic hub of Guangzhou.

Both are expected to boost the capacity of the country's rail system, during the country's largest annual migration since of the year.

But with hundreds of millions of hopeful passengers over Spring Festival, it's hard to ensure everyone a ticket home...

Fierce competition for train tickets began since January 7th, when passengers became able to buy tickets up to 20 days ahead of departure time over the phone, or online.

But booking a ride home is still no easy task.

Tickets online sell out, in seconds...

SOUNDBITE(CHINESE) MR WANG

"I couldn't buy tickets online, so I went to a ticket-selling agency. It's hard to get a ticket from Beijing to my hometown Wuyi mountain, as there's only one train a day. I hope I can get a ticket home before Spring Festival, no matter which day."

And the booking hotline, is always engaged.

SOUNDBITE(CHINESE)MRS WEI

"I was lucky to book tickets by telephone. But my friend began to call the booking hotline from 8 a.m and it had always been occupied. And after 9 a.m, the tickets had already sold out - just one hour after the tickets began to sell.

To snap up a seat, some have worked out an "booking calendar", advising people to pick a day with the highest probability of securing a ticket.

But not everyone can afford to spend hours by a computer, waiting for their chance.

That's when the booking aid program sprang up.

Some internet service providers are promoting their plug-ins, claiming to save time - but sparking concerns, too.

Some say though the programs are helping hands, they may steal the prospects of those without them.

The Ministry of Railways has criticized the plug-ins, but also says they need time, to improve their service.

To better serve migrant workers and students, the railway authority sent ticket vendors onto streets to serve passengers more easily.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) ZOU SHAOHUA, Passenger:

"I had planned to buy the ticket at the train station tomorrow. But now I've already got one, thanks to the vending car."

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) KUANG YAZHEN, Migrant worker:

"It saves me a lot of trouble. I don't need to travel to downtown to buy a ticket. "

Some official ticket vendors, even sell in factories...

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) ZHANG YUAN, Nanning railway station:

"We used to sell tickets at colleges. Now, we send vending cars to both colleges and factories to help students and migrant workers get tickets."

Other options include driving home.

A dozen of college students in east China's Zhejiang University have set up a car-sharing website, to help those who want to share a ride home.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) YUAN FENG, Guituu.com founder:

"We all come across difficulties buying train tickets. So we turned to an alternative."

Yuan says a shared car ride is also much cheaper than a train trip to the same destination.... And his website, is proving popular among students.