Tickets for direct express trains out of Beijing are selling like hot cakes before the National Day holiday. Tickets for departures before Friday have already sold out. 

Tickets for departures before Friday have already sold out and those for the rest of the holiday are also very limited.

There are 10 thousand tickets available per day for the 18 direct express trains from Beijing to other places in the country.

The direct express trains are not the only choice. The Ministry of Railways advises people not to rush to buy tickets for direct express trains and to consider buying tickets for regular trains and those put into service especially for the holiday rush.

(CRI.com September 28, 2004)