China's railways transported 38.57 million passengers in the ten days around May Day holidays, up 5.8 percent year-on-year and setting a new record, according to the Ministry of Railways here Sunday.

The ministry said about 12.08 million passengers took long-distance direct trains during the holidays, a 7.9 percent increase and also a new record.

May 2 witnessed a peak with 4.29 million passengers, 246,000 people more than the peak of 2004.

The ministry dispatched 637 temporary passenger trains and 108 tourist trains in the holidays.

The ministry said it had dealt with 48 cases of complaints, 15 less than the same period of last year.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2005)