China sees record train-ticket sales as holidays approach
Passengers wait for trains at the waiting hall of Xuzhou East Railway Station in Xuzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 1, 2023.
China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) said on Saturday that it sold 22.88 million train tickets on Friday, setting a new record for single-day ticket sales.
Of the total, 20.95 million train tickets were sold on China's official railway ticket-booking website, 12306.cn, and its official app, according to China Railway.
Friday marks the presale of train tickets for the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, which extend from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6 this year.
Ticket sales volumes reflect the travel demands of the people and the trends in economic and social development, said an official of China Railway, adding that the record-breaking ticket sales on Sept. 15 are indicative of the strong demand for travel during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day "golden week" holiday.
China is expected to see 190 million railway trips during the upcoming 12-day travel rush, which will last from Sept. 27 to Oct. 8. The Mid-Autumn Festival, falling on Sept. 29 this year, is a traditional Chinese Festival usually marked by family reunions, watching the full moon and eating mooncakes.
