Metro gears up for roaring holiday trade

• Source: Global Times
• [10:27 June 13 2010]
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By Tang Zhao

The local subway company, Shanghai Shentong Metro Group (SSMG), is planning to add more trains and issue 430,000 extra subway tickets to deal with demand over the three-day Dragon Boat Festival vacation, which starts tomorrow.

Workday subway timetables have been used this weekend, while holiday timetables will be used from Monday June 14 to Wednesday June 16. "The timetable for working days means that, during the morning and evening rush hours, more trains will be added, and intervals between trains at these times will be just two or three minutes," a customer service representative from SSMG told the Global Times.

According to an SSMG press release issued on Thursday, the extra 430,000 tickets have been distributed among stations with large passenger flows, including the stations at Hongqiao and Pudong airports, and metro stops at mainline stations. Backup trains will also be deployed if needed.

This year's Dragon Boat Festival is expected to be particularly busy as it coincides with the opening week of the FIFA 2010 World Cup and the first week following the end of the National College Entrance Exam.

Many people are also expected to take advantage of the holiday to visit the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, particularly as many residents of suburban districts of Shanghai have received free Expo tickets, which need to be used in June.

The subway operator expects more than 6 million passengers today, the eve of the three-day long holiday.