JINAN - A 24-hour self-service restaurant opened in eastern China's Shandong Province Monday to better serve the Spring Festival travel rush.

The restaurant at Qingdao north railway station is the first self-service restaurant at railway stations in China.

Passengers can order by tapping on the screen of eight machines in the restaurant and pay by scanning a QR code. Meals will come out, microwave heated by the machines, in no more than one minute.

A number of over 2,000 vacuum-packed meals can be stored in the eight machines, which will be replenished by staff when out of stock.

A smart management system is also equipped in the restaurant, with which big data analysis will be carried out on passengers' preferences to better suit their tastes.

China's Spring Festival travel rush started Monday, unleashing the country's largest seasonal migration of people as families reunite for China's most important traditional holiday.

The travel rush began 15 days ahead of the Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb 5 this year.