Railway transport in Beijing during China's traditional Spring Festival has brought in huge profits, due to an increase in the number of passengers, today's Beijing Morning Post reported.

During the first 15-day travel peak before the festival, tickets sold at Beijing's major stations -- the Beijing Railway Station and the West Station -- valued at nearly 300 million yuan (US$36.1 million), an increase of 50 percent over the same period of last year.

More than 3.76 million passengers traveled during the same period, an annual increase of 10 percent, the paper said.

To ease traffic tension, the Beijing Railway Administration added 470 passenger trains during the 15-day period alone, 100 more than the during the same transport season last year.

The average ticket prices for trains also soared by 20 to 30 percent at the festival, accounting for a huge gain in profit, the paper said.

This year, China's annual Spring Festival travel season started from January 9 and will last until February 17.

(Xinhua 02/01/2001)