BEIJING - The annual mass passenger transportation for the traditional Lunar New Year, will start on Jan 19, 2011, with an expected 2.85 billion journeys in 40 days after that date.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) predicted on Wednesday that the journeys  made by passengers by train, bus, boat and air during the forthcoming peak travel season, commonly known as Chunyun (spring transportation), would be up 11.6 percent in comparison with the previous one.

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According to the prediction given by the NDRC, passengers would make 2.56 billion journeys by bus, up 12 percent year-on-year, and 230 million journeys by train, up 12 percent, 35 million journeys by boat, up six percent, and 32.2 million journeys by air, up 10 percent.

The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese Lunar New Year, will fall on Feb 3, 2011. It is the most important festival for people of Chinese origin as it is an occasion for reunions of family members, relatives and friends.

Chunyun is an annual test on China's transportation systems.

The NDRC has issued a circular, demanding coordination mechanisms be established among transport departments, different localities, police, and countermeasures be made in place in case of emergencies to ensure efficiency and a complete success of the peak travel season.