China's railways hit the return peak as holidaymakers head home

China's railways are set to handle 24.15 million passenger trips on Wednesday as National Day holiday makers are heading back to work, after a week-long break.

Railways added 2,449 extra passenger trains to cope, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

On Tuesday, the network carried 21.6 million passenger trips, marking the third straight day above 20 million.

Metropolises like Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Chongqing and Shanghai saw the heaviest traffic.

The busiest routes ran between Beijing and Shanghai, Wuhan and Shanghai, Wuhan and Shenzhen, and Xi'an and Chengdu.

This year, more travelers skipped the big cities.

County-level destinations, from Lingshui on Hainan's coast in the south to Mohe on the northern frontier, drew visitors looking for slower trips and first-hand experiences of local culture.

And when they got there, they stayed out later.

Night markets, light shows, cultural performances and food fairs kept towns busy into the evening. (With input from Xinhua)