Passengers pour through the gates at Hangzhou East Railway Station during the Spring Festival travel rush. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

The 40-day Spring Festival travel rush concluded on Feb 22, with railway stations in Hangzhou – capital of East China's Zhejiang province – handling a record influx of 10.87 million passengers, a 5.5-percent increase on 2024.

The stations saw an average of 272,000 daily departures, driven by overlapping student, migrant worker and family visits coupled with tourism travel demand.

During peak periods, Hangzhou East Railway Station dispatched a train every 1.7 minutes, transporting nearly 20,000 passengers per hour.

On Jan 25, the station broke a record with 402,000 departures, while Hangzhou West Station also hit historic highs on Jan 22, 24 and 25.

To accommodate the surging demand, 5,655 additional trains were deployed – including 1,196 nighttime services, marking a 24.1-percent year-on-year increase.

Beyond boosting capacity, Hangzhou railway stations expanded their passenger services, assisting over 500 travelers and providing on-site volunteer aid at major stations.

Initiatives included free haircuts for 900 passengers, eye check-ups for 1,200 people and first-aid training for 1,500 travelers and staff.

It's said that with safety, efficiency and warmth at its core, Hangzhou railway stations are continuing to enhance their services, ensuring an effortless and pleasant travel experience for all passengers.

A girl gets a Chinese New Year gift from a volunteer at a railway station in Hangzhou. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]