HOLIDAY TRAVEL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23224, 19 December 1938, Page 12

HOLIDAY TRAVEL

MANY CROWDED TRAINS BUSY SCENES AT STATION BOOKING DEMAND CONTINUES Many trains between Auckland and Wellington, including special expresses, were taxed to capacity during tho week-end. Thousands of passengers thronged the platforms at express times each day, giving further indication of tho promise for record travel Christmas holiday period. Most of the expresses ran to time, but there were some that experienced delay on tho way to Auckland, on account of reduced speeds over the faulty section of lino near Taumarunui, in addition to crossing problems always encountered at busy times. On Saturday tho inward limited arrived on schedule, but tho first express was 25 minutes' late, and a special train, due at mid-day, was three-quarters of an hour late. Tho train from Wellington yesterday was on time. The lightest load of any train on tho main trunk during tho week-end was that taken by tho daylight limited on Saturday. It left Auckland with four passenger coaches, but it is not expected that the demand for accommodation by this train will increase until about Wednesday. The majority of other expresses, inward and outward, consisted of approximately 10 cars. Not for many months have such largo crowds been seen on tho station platforms as those which were present last night. Four trains left in half an hour, two destined for Wellington, one for New Plymouth, and one the excursion train to Hamilton. Each was a large train, carrying a full complement of passengers on its departure. Reservations for holiday trains havo been practically completed. It is almost an impossibility at this time to reserve any seat on the numerous special trains which will run from Auckland from Christmas Eve onward. Certainly no selection of seats is now available, and one can count himself fortunate if, having delayed reservation, he can now obtain accommodation. However, a frantic demand for seats was again demonstrated on Saturday at the railway station booking oflice and in tho city and suburban tourist bureaus.