China expects 26 million rail trips over holiday rush

China will see 26 million passenger trips made by rail from Wednesday to Saturday, a travel rush period covering the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday, said the country's railway operator on Wednesday.

Daily rail passenger trips during the holiday are expected to peak on Thursday, with a total of about 7 million to be made, according to China State Railway Group. On Wednesday, the country's vast railway network will handle 6.7 million.

This year's Dragon Boat Festival falls on Thursday and lasts until Saturday, with the travel rush beginning Wednesday.

The country will see an uptick in rail traffic volume as trips to visit relatives and short- and medium-distance trips are on the upswing. To meet the increasing demand, railway authorities have allocated more trains on key routes, according to the group.

The company also noted that passengers traveling on normal-speed trains have been able to purchase e-tickets since Saturday, bringing the total number of railway stations using electronic tickets to more than 2,400.

With about 95 percent of railway passengers across the country benefiting from the e-ticket system, people will enjoy enhanced efficiency and improved service during the break, it added.

Adhering to regular prevention and control measures, the company has scaled up disinfection and health check efforts, as well as set up emergency quarantine areas to protect public safety.