Google launches Chinese holiday travel map amid row

"The service is available online now," a spokeswoman for Google China, Marsha Wang, told AFP on Tuesday.

The Google Spring Festival Map is based on the company's regular map service but has "more features" targeting users' special needs during this month's holiday, the busiest travel period of the year in China, she said.

The special map provides information including real-time flight status, train schedules and ticket prices, highway conditions and weather updates, according to a statement posted on googlechinablog.com.

About 240 million people are expected to crowd China's trains and planes for the holiday, according to government estimates.

Chinese traditionally return to their home towns and villages for family reunions with this year's travel period stretching from January 30 to March 10. The Lunar New Year falls on February 14.