Trains brace for Qingming travelers

Nearly 50 million expected to be transported nationwide during holiday weekend

Trains across the country are expected to carry 49.7 million passengers from Friday to Monday during the Qingming Festival, China's railway operator said on Friday.

The peak of the travel rush is expected to be reached on Saturday, with 14 million passenger trips, one day ahead of Tomb Sweeping Day, a traditional occasion for commemorating the dead.

The public will enjoy a three-day holiday ending on Monday, the first since the Spring Festival during which most Chinese people stayed put due to COVID-19 epidemic control efforts.

The China State Railway Group said in a statement on Friday that with domestic epidemic control efforts paying off, demand grew for tourists to visit relatives, worship ancestors and go for spring outings during the holiday.

To meet travelers' needs, 10,046 passenger trains are scheduled to run every day from April 2 to 5, an increase of 10.6 percent over 2019's holiday and a new high this year in terms of transport capacity, the group said.

Meanwhile, tourist trains are being operated nationwide to boost the tourism market. The panda-themed tourist train travels from Sichuan province to Guizhou province, with panda decorations, internet and entertainment systems. Passengers can enjoy food and accommodation onboard the train and receive tickets to tourist sites.

Offline services will be provided to the elderly and those without access to the internet, and epidemic prevention and control measures will be in place to protect people's safety, the group said.

The weather forecast showed that it will be sunny or cloudy in Northeast China during the holiday. Meanwhile, wet weather will dominate parts of Northwest China, the Jiangnan area, the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Guizhou and Yunnan provinces.

Heavy rain is expected to hit northwestern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and eastern Yunnan, according to the release of the China Meteorological Administration said on Friday.

The average temperature in some areas during the holiday is expected to be 1 C to 2 C lower than the same period during average years, including Northwest China and the western part of the Huanghuai area between the Yellow and the Huaihe rivers, it said.

Temperatures in South China, the southeastern part of the Jiangnan area and Yunnan will be 2 C to 3 C higher than in previous years from Friday to Monday, it added.

Special attention needs to be paid to fire prevention as people go for tomb sweeping and other outdoor activities during the holiday, said Jia Xiaolong, deputy director of the National Climate Center.