TAIPEI, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Millions of people in Taiwan are rushing home as the seven-day traditional Chinese New Year holiday began Thursday.
The first wave of railway passengers emerged from Thursday to Friday morning with about 626,000 people taking the railways Thursday, according to the island's railway authorities.
The high-speed railway, the most popular and efficient transport within the island, has added 424 trains from Jan. 21 to 30 to a total of 1,793 ones, up 30 percent over normal days. Eight slower trains have been added along the routes linking the less populated eastern regions of the island.
Passengers have been able to book tickets via mobile phone apps, telephone, website and convenience stores since Dec. 25.
"It took less time than usual to get a ticket. I normally buy my ticket right before I get on the train. But due to the holiday season, I reserved the ticket online much earlier," said a passenger surnamed Chang, who lives in Taipei and planned to return to his hometown Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.
From Jan. 23 to 29, all major highways and expressways across the island are free of charge between midnight and 5 a.m. During the rest of the day, drivers will be charged a single rate to ease traffic.
As of Friday morning, except for a few sections, most of the highways reported moderate traffic.
According to the island's transport department, the peak time of traffic from north to south will appear on Sunday while the traffic rush from south to north will be on Jan. 28, the second to last day of the holiday.
