A railway worker conducts maintenance checks on a bullet train in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Jan. 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The travel rush ahead of the Spring Festival will come earlier than previous years, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said Wednesday.

The pre-holiday travel rush is expected to last from Jan. 15 to 23, while returning passenger flows will surge during the Jan. 26-Feb. 2 period and Feb. 9-Feb. 13 period, said MOT spokesperson Wu Chungeng.

Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Sichuan, Anhui, Hunan, Hebei, Beijing and Shanghai will be the top 10 provincial-level regions in terms of passenger flow.

Trains are waiting for maintenance in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province.(Photo by Chen Zhenhai/Xinhua)

Demand for high-speed railways will remain robust, with middle- to short-haul routes making up the majority, according to China's largest online travel agency Ctrip.

Demand for air travel between key cities will also be strong. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Sanya are expected to be hot destinations, according to Ctrip.

The upcoming holiday for the Spring Festival, a traditional festival for family reunions, will run from Jan. 24 to 30, while the travel rush, also known as chunyun, will last 40 days from Jan. 10 to Feb. 18. ■