China’s annual Lunar New Year travel season has begun, with authorities expecting a record 9.5 billion trips during the 40-day period surrounding the country’s biggest festival.

The mass migration, known as “chunyun,” is considered the largest yearly movement of people in the world. Millions are heading back to their hometowns ahead of the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 17.

Among them is Liu Zhiquan, who works in construction in Beijing and was preparing for a train ride of more than 30 hours to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, about 2,000 kilometers away. He said economic conditions feel worse than last year.

“The economy is bad and it’s getting harder to make money,” Liu said.

To cut costs, he chose a slower train. A high-speed train would take about nine hours but costs more than twice as much. Despite the long journey, he said returning home for the holiday is important, as it is often the only time workers across the country can reunite with their families.

According to the National Development and Reform Commission, around 540 million trips will be made by train and 95 million by air during the travel period. The majority of journeys will be by road.

In China, where many employees work long hours, including weekends, and receive limited annual leave, the Lunar New Year holiday is especially valued.

At Beijing railway stations, large crowds filled waiting halls, carrying heavy bags and suitcases. Many passengers ate instant noodles while waiting, taking advantage of free hot water provided at stations.

Tian Duofu, who recently began working full-time in Beijing, said she is looking forward to the nine-day holiday starting Feb. 15. She said it has become harder for extended families to gather, and long holidays are rare.

“After I started working, I realized such a long break is uncommon, and we meet in person less often, which makes the Spring Festival more meaningful,” she said.

Tian Yunxia, originally from Henan province and now running a breakfast stall in Beijing, said she is eager to return home to see her children, grandchildren and husband.

“The new year is the most important festival. If we don’t go back home, we cannot truly feel the festive atmosphere,” she said.