With Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the nation's railway system is feeling the strain as travelers rush to get home before the holiday.

Although the festival, falling on September 8, has yet to come, a rising number of travelers heading for their hometown or tourist attractions has already heaped pressure on railway authorities.

Friday saw 7.55 million passengers as the first day of the weekend-long travel rush begins. The number of travels up more than 10 percent from a year ago. China Railway Corporation predicted the figure will climb to around 8.45 million passengers on Saturday.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, which will fall on Monday under China's lunar calendar, is a traditional occasion for family reunions. It's the second most important family holiday after the Spring Festival.

Passengers wait to buy tickets at the railway station of Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, Sept 5, 2014. As the three-day Mid-Autumn holiday will begin on Sept 6, Guiyang railway station witnessed a travel peak Friday. The Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sept 8 this year, is a traditional Chinese festival for family reunions, during which folks will enjoy the full moon together and eat mooncakes - small round pies with a variety of fillings. [Photo/Xinhua]

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