China's railway trips to hit 47m during Dragon Boat Festival holiday

BEIJING - China will see 47 million trips made by rail from Friday to Monday, a period covering the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday, said state-owned railway operator China Railway on Wednesday.

Daily trips are expected to hit 11.75 million, a year-on-year increase of 7.8 percent, the company said in a statement.

The peak travel day is estimated to be June 16 when 13.3 million trips will be made, representing an increase of 8.3 percent from the same time a year ago.

This year's Dragon Boat Festival falls on June 18. The Dragon Boat Festival holiday is June 16-18, with the travel rush beginning June 15.

Cities such as Beijing, Dalian, Qingdao, Hangzhou, and Xiamen are among the most popular destinations and departure locations, the company said.

To meet the increased demand, railway authorities have allocated more trains on key routes.

The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the year, according to the Chinese calendar, to commemorate famous Chinese poet Qu Yuan from the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.).