Planes, trains and cars: rush inspires elaborate journeys

Travelers who failed to get a train ticket home for Spring Festival are being advised to consider alternative solutions that combine various methods of transportation.

Qiu Hui, director of flight product at qunar.com, a Chinese travel search platform, said combining train and air travel can save money.

"For example, if a person comes from Huhhot in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and works in Chengdu in Sichuan province, the direct flight from Chengdu to Huhhot will cost around 1,400 yuan ($220), but if he flies to Beijing first and takes a six hour high-speed train home, he will save about 800 yuan," Qiu said.