Chinese railway ready for travel peak as Golden Week holiday comes to an end
CGTN
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As the National Day holiday comes to an end, the Chinese people have set off on their trips back to work.
Saturday marks the penultimate day of the eight-day so-called “super holiday." The China Railway Corporation (CRC) said that during the past 10 days of mass travel starting September 18, the people in China have made about 105 million trips by railway.
On Friday, about 12.4 million trips were made, up 8.6 percent year-on-year, making it the seventh day in a row with more than 10 million railway trips, said the company. It was estimated that at least 13.6 million trips would be made on Saturday, and the company said it had arranged 911 more trains to ensure smooth travel.
People on their way back to work as National Day holiday coming to an end. /Xinhua Photo
People on their way back to work as National Day holiday coming to an end. /Xinhua Photo
Chinese railways set a new record in daily passenger traffic as more than 15 million trips were made on the National Day, the first day of the holiday. Before the holiday, the CRC forecasted that the railways would serve around 130 million passengers in the 11 days following September 28.
Meanwhile, during the past week, China’s tourism has witnessed a boom as well. According to the National Tourism Administration, as of Saturday, there are still 42 million people on their travels, with a 17.6-percent year-on-year rise.
The single day’s tourism income was estimated at 32.9 billion yuan (US$4.9 billion), with 14.8-percent increase compared with last year.
Tourists crowded on a bridge at Xihu Lake, a tourist attraction in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. /CNS Photo
Tourists crowded on a bridge at Xihu Lake, a tourist attraction in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. /CNS Photo
The National Tourism Administration said that the tourist markets across China have been in good order during the past seven days, without any serious security incidents. Short-distance tours such as in the downtown or suburb areas have become one of the major forms of tourism.
Nearly all tourist attractions across China have welcomed far more visitors than before. A total of 163 tourist attractions in Beijing received more than 1.4 million people on Saturday, seeing a year-on-year increase of 177.8 percent, while Shanghai received 880,000 people, with a 55-percent increase.
As of Saturday, the seventh day of the holiday, the overall income from tourism has reached 549.4 billion yuan (82.5 billion US dollars), only a small distance away from the 590 billion yuan (88.6 billion US dollars) predicted by the Administration before the holiday.
With one day left in the holiday, the numbers are expected to rise further.