According to China’s Ministry of Railways, Chinese railway system has carried altogether 1.27 billion passengers during the first eight months of 2011, up 11.8 percent from a year earlier. The figure has accounted for 67.4 percent of the ministry’s full-year target, which was planned to carry 1.9 billion passengers for the whole year.
Meanwhile, China’s high-speed railway system had been operating with improved order and efficiency. The ministry has not only ordered to run high-speed trains at slower speeds, but also to reorganize bullet train schedules nationwide, for safety reasons. For instance, the ministry cut the number of high-speed trains running between Beijing and Shanghai to 66 pairs from 88 pairs per day, effective as of August 16.
China’s railway system has come through the summer peak season, and the ministry is making “full preparations” for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays in order to meet increased travel demands.