Free-pass policy faces New Year migration test

Motorists posted photos online, with one showing a motorist using a telescope to look at how long the queue was, and another showing passengers playing tennis on a traffic-jammed road.

Drawing lessons from the last holiday, some local government traffic authorities have issued detailed and improved implementation measures to ease congestion on some major travel peak days.

In South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, highway management authorities will issue tickets for private cars 12 hours before the cutoff time of the free-pass policy.

This is expected to ease intensive traffic flow before the policy ends, and lead to less tension among drivers, said the regional department of transportation.

However, there could be problems ahead.

China has not set up a complete transportation information collection system encompassing the highway, railway, aviation and shipping sectors.

The lack of this system makes it difficult for government authorities to evaluate and resolve traffic pressures.

Also, recent weather such as haze, snow and freezing rain may cause problems.

"A more flexible and details-concerned policy will receive more applause by Chinese people on their most cherished annual holiday, " said Chen Yiyang, who is about to travel from Beijing to central China's Anhui Province.

"The extended free-toll policy is welcomed. Of course, a permanent free highway would be even better," said Chen.