People in Beijing can take nonstop buses since this Saturday to the city's nine largest cemeteries for Tomb Sweeping Day, or Qingming Festival, which falls on April 4 this year.

The temporary nonstop routes cost from 10 to 30 yuan (1 to 4 US dollars), depending on the distance, the Beijing News reports.

The 22 nonstop lines, bound for nine cemeteries including Badaling People's Cemetery and Yanhuang Cemetery, start at traffic hubs such as Qianmen, Xuanwumen and Fuxingmen.

Two of the 22 lines, the buses to the Badaling People's Cemetery and Yanhuang Cemetery, will be free of charge.

The special service will run at least through April 4.

Meanwhile, the other 67 buses that pass the 16 cemeteries in the city will rearrange their timetables during the festival to cope with the surging number of passengers.

Tomb Sweeping Day, commonly called Qingming Festival, was authorized as a national holiday starting from this year. On this day, people pay their respects to deceased family members at their tombs.(source:Crienglish.cn)