Rail travelers to hit 283 m this summer

China's railways will handle more than 4.5 million people a day in July and August, the Ministry of Railways has said.

The two summer months are a traditionally popular period for rail travel, due to the school holidays. But the addition of the Beijing Olympics will boost the numbers significantly, it said.

About 283 million people are expected to travel by rail during the 62 days, up 9.8 percent on the same period last year, it said.