Taiwan earthquake: mainland China rail services back to normal in time for Ching Ming travel rush
The deadly 7.3 magnitude earthquake had caused cancellations and major delays to rail services in eastern and southern regions of the mainland, including the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangxi and Zhejiang, as well as the eastern metropolis of Shanghai.
“During this year’s Ching Ming holiday, travelers have a strong demand for visiting relatives, paying respects to ancestors, and having outings,” China Railway said on its website.Railways in the Yangtze River Delta region, which includes Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, were predicted to carry a total of 16.3 million passengers between April 3 and April 7, averaging 3.26 million passengers per day, according to Shanghai’s official Jiefang Daily.
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Strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years leaves at least 7 dead, hundreds injured
Strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years leaves at least 7 dead, hundreds injured
The projected figures marked an almost 20 per cent increase compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, and would be a record high for average daily railway traffic during the Ching Ming period.Ticket sales data indicated a preference for short- and medium-distance travel during the holiday with cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu and Wuhan being the most popular destinations, China Railway said on its website.
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Intercity routes, including Beijing-Tianjin, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong, Shanghai-Suzhou and Shanghai-Hangzhou, were particularly busy, China Railway said.
Additional trains had been added in cities such Harbin, Zhengzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai to meet increased demand, authorities said.
“Railway departments across the country are streamlining passenger flows at stations, enhancing security and validation channels, and providing increased guidance at critical points,” China Railway said on its website.
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Taiwan’s 7.2 magnitude quake leaves 9 dead, more than 1,000 injured as rescue continues
Taiwan’s 7.2 magnitude quake leaves 9 dead, more than 1,000 injured as rescue continues
Railway connections as well as intermodal connections with buses and metros had also been improved, the company said.
Road traffic on the mainland was also set to reach record volumes during the Ching Ming holiday, People’s Daily reported on Thursday, citing the road network monitoring and emergency response centre under China’s transport ministry.
The centre projected that peak vehicle traffic volume would be on the first day of the holiday, with around 60 million vehicles – nearly double the usual daily traffic, the report said.
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