The Spring Festival in Chinese culture is a time for family reunions and is regarded as the country's most important traditional holiday.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Year of the Tiger will start on February 14 this year.

The Ministry of Transport predicts there will be some 210 million travelers during the 40-day traffic peak from January 30 to March 10. Their annual return home is considered to be the single largest modern human migration on Earth.

Here is a collection of photos taken at railway stations across China before the Spring Festival, the country's peak travel season.