Beijing railway stations saw the first peak of passenger flow
after the Spring Festival as people began to return to their work
places.
The Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station,
the city's two major railway stations, reported 120,000 and 130,000
passengers respectively on Friday, according to railway authorities
on Saturday. The flow of returning passengers started to increase
from Thursday.
Most passengers returned to Beijing after spending the Spring
Festival with family members in their hometowns, while the
passenger flow peaks of migrant rural workers are expected after
February 12.
Beijing railway stations have added more exits while the two
major ones even gave up ticket examination to speed up passenger
outflow.
In order to cope with the passenger flow peak, bus routes around
railway stations have arranged more vehicles to transport
passengers, and two routes have extended their business hours to
provide 24-hour services.
According to the tradition, the Chinese people return home for
family reunion to observe the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar
New Year, which has posed a challenge to transportation
networks.
(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2006)
