Fu Zhongming began his trip by riding a motorcycle back to his hometown in Tongren of Guizhou province on Tuesday, the day marking the beginning of the annual Spring Festival travel rush.

It will take the 40-year-old migrant worker nearly two days to reach home, from his work place in Foshan, a major manufacturing city in Guangdong province.

"I have been working in a furniture factory in Foshan for more than a decade. But when Spring Festival is around the corner, I usually go back home this way," said Fu.

Riding the motorcycle helps reduce transportation costs and is more convenient, according to Fu.

At the Longshan gas station in Foshan on Tuesday, Fu, together with dozens of motorcyclists, waited for free refueling and received gift bags provided by China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, or Sinopec.