The China Railway Shanghai Group has forecasted a surge in railway travel within the Yangtze River Delta region during the upcoming National Day holiday, with an estimated 34 million passenger trips expected to be made via the railway network. The holiday travel rush is set to span 10 days, from Sept 29 to Oct 8, with a peak anticipated on Oct 1, when 3.8 million departures are projected to take place.

As families and travelers prepare for vacations and reunions, railway passenger flow is expected to remain consistently high throughout the holiday period, driven by visits to popular tourist destinations and journeys home for family gatherings. A similar surge in travel is anticipated throughout the nation, with hotspots spread across more than a dozen key railway routes, including Beijing-Shanghai, Hangzhou-Shenzhen, and Hefei-Hangzhou routes.

To accommodate the heightened passenger demand, the local railway administration has announced plans to operate an additional 196.5 pairs of trains on 80 existing popular routes, marking a significant increase of 45 pairs compared to the same period last year. Of these newly added services, 44 pairs of trains will cater to travelers seeking to explore provinces renowned for their scenic attractions, such as Shaanxi, Jiangxi, and Fujian, while the remainder will facilitate travel between cities within the delta region, including Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Hefei.

In a bid to enhance passenger comfort and convenience, the railway operator is set to increase seating capacity and offer a range of ticket options to cater to diverse traveler preferences. In response to the expected surge in demand, the operator will adjust train compositions by replacing sleeping berths with regular coaches or adding extra coaches to existing trains as needed. Additionally, to provide travelers with flexible and cost-effective travel solutions, the introduction of the 20-ride Rail Pass and 30-day Rail Pass on six key railway routes, including Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong and Beijing-Shanghai, aims to offer passengers greater choice and affordability during their journeys.