The Winter Travel Rush: Railway Bureaus Across China Prepare for Peak Student Passenger Flow
As colleges and universities begin their winter vacation, railway stations across China are experiencing a peak in student passenger flow. With this in mind, Gansu, Henan, and other areas are closely monitoring passenger flow changes in order to scientifically adjust transportation capacity and accommodate the surge in students traveling.
At Lanzhou Station alone, more than 30,000 student tickets had been sold as of the morning of January 10th. It is anticipated that the peak of student passenger flow will occur from January 10th to 14th. In response to this expected increase, the Lanzhou Railway Bureau has implemented various measures, such as “peak charts,” “weekend charts,” and “one chart per day,” with the aim of providing the best possible service to student passengers.
According to Li Jifeng, the stationmaster on duty at the passenger transport workshop of Lanzhou Station, a special ticket sales office has been set up with dedicated personnel to guide students. Additionally, a specific student qualification verification office has been established to provide specialized services to student passengers. Furthermore, a green channel has been opened to facilitate the quick and orderly check-in and boarding of student group passengers.
Meanwhile, the Zhengzhou Railway Bureau is set to implement the train operation chart for the first quarter of 2024, beginning on the 10th. The bureau plans to operate 1,269 passenger trains, 36 more than before the adjustment, with these additional trains mainly serving the directions of Beijing, Shenyang, Jinan, Hangzhou, and others to accommodate the concentrated travel of student passengers. The passenger transport department has also strengthened its ability to guarantee student ticket quotas, dynamically monitored the pre-sale situation of student tickets, and added guidance personnel during the peak travel period for students.
Zhou Bingyan, the stationmaster on duty at Zhengzhou East Railway Station, mentioned that in response to the new functions recently launched by Railway 12306 (the ticket purchase platform), railway staff have actively gone to campuses to promote and demonstrate the process of student ticket qualification verification on-site.
As the winter travel rush continues, railway bureaus across China are making every effort to ensure the smooth and safe transportation of students during this busy period.