Summary：A total of 606.48 million people traveled via China's railways during the first four months of 2012, a year-on-year increase of 2.8 percent, the Ministry of Railways said Sunday.

A total of 606.48 million people traveled via China's railways during the first

four months of 2012, a year-on-year increase of 2.8 percent, the Ministry of

Railways said Sunday.

Passenger numbers increased the most in April due to rising travel demand during

the Qingming Festival (April 2 to 4) and Labor Day holiday (April 28 to May 1),

the ministry said.

The number of passengers traveling on trains rose 8.6 percent year-on-year in

April, 7.4 percentage points higher than the growth registered in the first

quarter, the ministry said.

Railways carried 1.33 billion tonnes of cargo in the first four months, up 3.8

percent from the previous year, the ministry added.

The ministry said it has increased support for the transport of important

production materials and living necessities such as coal, grain, oil and

chemical fertilizer.

The railways carried 785.34 million tonnes of coal, up 6.6 percent year-on-year

in the first four months, while the transport of grain increased 15 percent to

35.96 million tonnes during the period, the ministry said.