The 60-day advance booking period for train tickets during next year's chunyun period (the Spring Festival travel season) will make it easier for some people to travel home for the all-important annual family get-together and return to work, but it may not bring convenience to all.

According to the new ticket sales system adopted by China Railway Corporation, which operates the country's railway network, passengers can book train tickets through the Internet or over the phone 60 days in advance for the chunyun period. The travel peak period for the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb 19, will begin on Feb 4 and last until March 16.

The 60-day pre-sale period is a vast improvement on the earlier provision of allowing passengers to book tickets only 20 days in advance. Also, passengers will no longer have to pay any charge for canceling their tickets up to 15 days before a train's departure.