Railroad passengers have rose drastically this year since China raised the railroad speeds for the fifth time. According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Railways railroad passengers nationwide have exceeded 1 billion this year - the highest in 10 years.

The fifth railroad speed hike adjusted the number of passenger trains to 1,172 pairs, of which the proportion of through express passenger trains increased drastically to 35 percent or 407 pairs. One of every three of the passengers transported by the railroads is a medium/long-distance passenger. Nineteen pairs of nonstop special expresses were opened with the highest speed of 160 kilometers per hour. The fifth speed hike opened altogether 169 one-night passenger lines which span more than one railway bureau, 51 lines more than in 2001; and 136 one-night lines which travel within one bureau, 17 lines more than in 2001. Trans-bureau tourist trains were increased to 39 pairs, 11 pairs more than in 2001.

The Ministry predicts that railroad passengers would reach 1.07 billion this year.

By People's Daily Online