A total 3.37 million railway journeys were made in China Monday, a year-on-year rise of 9.4 percent, nine days before the traditional Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan. 22.

The Ministry of Railways said Tuesday that 2,038 additional passenger trains were operating nationwide from Jan. 7 to 12.

The peak travel season of the Spring Festival started on Jan. 7.

The majority of passengers by Monday were students, a ministry spokesman said, adding that 4.8 million tickets had been sold.

The second peak of the Spring Festival travel season would comein the next few days with more people returning to their hometowns,especially migrant workers, the spokesman said.

The number of passengers was likely to top 3.5 million per day in the next few days.

Last year, the Spring Festival travel season from Jan. 17 to Feb. 25, reported a total 134.7 million railway journeys.

(People's Daily January 14, 2004)