Passenger trips surge as National Day holiday concludes

A policewoman helps passengers on the platform at Taizhou Railway Station in Taizhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 6, 2024. China sees a surge in return trips on Sunday as the week-long National Day holiday draws to a close. (Photo by Tang Dehong/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's railway sector experienced a surge in passenger traffic on Monday as travelers returned from the week-long National Day holiday.

The railway network is expected to handle 19.86 million passenger trips on Monday, the last day of the holiday, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

A total of 13,103 trains are in operation, including 1,705 additional trains scheduled to meet the rising demand. This marks a historic high for a single day's operational capacity, the company said.

Over the course of the 10-day holiday travel period, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8, China's railway network is projected to handle 175 million passenger trips.

To manage the travel boom, China has taken measures to add extra trains on popular routes and enhance services to ensure safe and orderly travel for passengers.

Passengers wait to board a train at the platform at Hengyang East Railway Station in Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province, Oct. 6, 2024. China sees a surge in return trips on Sunday as the week-long National Day holiday draws to a close. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 6, 2024 shows the traffic on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. China sees a surge in return trips on Sunday as the week-long National Day holiday draws to a close. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua)

Passengers walk towards the exit at Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 6, 2024. China sees a surge in return trips on Sunday as the week-long National Day holiday draws to a close. (Photo by Liu Jianhua/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 6, 2024 shows the traffic on a bridge in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. China sees a surge in return trips on Sunday as the week-long National Day holiday draws to a close. (Photo by Xu Congjun/Xinhua)

Passengers walk on the platform at Yantai Railway Station in Yantai, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 6, 2024. China sees a surge in return trips on Sunday as the week-long National Day holiday draws to a close. (Photo by Sun Wentan/Xinhua)

Passengers walk on the platform of Nanjing Railway Station in east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 6, 2024. (Photo by Liu Jianhua/Xinhua)

China's railway operator said that the railway network is experiencing a peak in return travel, with a sharp rise in long-distance trips. For six consecutive days since the holiday rush began, daily passenger numbers have surpassed 17 million, reflecting the sustained high demand during this period.

China's railway network is expected to handle 175 million passenger trips during the 10-day National Day holiday travel rush from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8.

Passengers go through ticket barriers at Qinhuangdao Railway Station in north China's Hebei Province, Oct. 6, 2024. (Photo by Cao Jianxiong/Xinhua)

Passengers are pictured at Chengdu East Railway Station in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

A staff member guides passengers at Bazhong East Railway Station in Bazhong City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

Passengers are pictured at the waiting hall of Harbin Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Oct. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

Passengers are pictured on the platform of Harbin Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Oct. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

Passengers are pictured at Shenzhen North Railway Station in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

Passengers are pictured at Tianjin West Railway Station in north China's Tianjin, Oct. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

Passengers are pictured at Shenzhen North Railway Station in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)