BEIJING - Travel demand on China's railways remained huge on the second day of the nation's seven-day National Day Holiday as more people have chosen to travel.

More than 7.1 million journeys were made on the railways on Oct 2, up 6.1 percent year-on-year, according to data released Monday by the Ministry of Railways.

The railways carried a record 8.928 million passengers throughout the country on Oct 1, the first day of the week-long holiday.

Both long-distance and short-distance travelers saw rises in numbers, which contributed to heavy traffic, according to the ministry.

A total of 259 temporary trains were put into service on Oct 2, the second day of the country's week-long holiday.

Traveling by railway is the primary transportation mode for travelers. The sector has the difficult task of catering to massive increases in travelers during the country's two week-long holidays, namely the Spring Festival and National Day.