China reports over 78 million railway passenger trips during Dragon Boat Festival holiday

China reported more than 78.75 million railway passenger trips during the just-concluded Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a 3.5 percent year-on-year increase, data from the China State Railway Group showed on Wednesday.

The trips, made between May 30 and June 3, have set a new travel record for the holiday period. 

The company attributed the surge to the overlap of the traditional Dragon Boat Festival and International Children's Day, which fueled a spike in family visits and domestic tourism.

To accommodate the growing demand, the network ramped up operations with an average of 12,142 passenger trains running each day, up 9.9 percent compared with the same period last year. 

Travelers were met with a series of onboard and station activities celebrating traditional customs. Over 1,000 train stations and selected trains hosted interactive events, including zongzi-making, colorful bracelet weaving and other holiday trivia games.

Service enhancements included streamlined ticketing and transfer procedures, improved catering options and tailored assistance for elderly passengers, children and those with special needs.