TEHRAN – Some 10 million passengers used public transportation from March 14 to 31 [Persian New Year’s holidays], of whom, 1.44 million utilized rail transport, the deputy transport minister has said.

Inspecting Tehran Railway Station for the second time during the Nowruz holidays on Sunday, Seyyed Kamal Hadianfar engaged in discussions with passengers within the station's waiting area, aiming to assess the overall experience and address any concerns or feedback from travelers.

Regarding train ticket distribution capacity, Hadianfar emphasized the need for a distribution system during peak Nowruz travel, with 70% planned and 30% for passengers requiring sudden travel due to special circumstances.

Hadianfar expressed optimism regarding the future expansion of the country's rail passenger fleet, foreseeing potential growth in the upcoming years.

He also highlighted the significant volume of 80 daily train operations to and from Mashhad, which makes Khorasan Razavi province a major transport destination in Iran.

Referring to the predicted 3 to 5% increase in travel during this year's spring holidays, the official said that there are six days left until the end of the Nowruz travel plan, with the estimation of a 3% increase in travel.

He attributed the main reasons for the modest increase in Nowruz travels this year to unfavorable weather conditions and coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, noting that the peak time for the return of Nowruz travels has begun, expecting an increase in travels during the return days.

Concluding his remarks, the official underscored the overall satisfaction expressed by the public regarding rail transportation services, assuring that the delay rate of trains has been very negligible.