TRAINS CROWDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23227, 22 December 1938, Page 12

TRAINS CROWDED

KECORD BOOKINGS PROVINCIAL SERVICES EXODUS ON SATURDAY EFFECT OF HIGHER FARES A record number of early bookings has resulted in all seats being taken on trains running between Auckland and such provincial centres as Rotorua, Whangarei and Thames on Saturday morning. Although it is usual for Christinas trains between Auckland and Wellington to bo booked out before departure, it is stated that such an experience in tho caso of local trains is unprecedented. Tho position is probably to a large extent duo to tho recent increase in fares. This caused largo numbers of Christmas travellers to book their seats' beforo the operation of the new scale long beforo they usually do so. As a result tho . Railway Department does not know whether all intended bookings for Saturday morning have been made or whether other'travellers will come forward at tho last hour to purchase tickets. The department states that unless such peoplo communicate with booking officers as soon as possiblo they will probably be unable to secure seats. Trains which aro fully booked are those.;going from Auckland to Rotorua, Whangarei and Thames. Record bookings have also caused the department to"split in two a combined train which was formerly to leave Auckland at 1.20 p.in, on Saturday for Rotorua and Tauranga Two separate trains, one to each centre, arc now being run in its place, leaving within a few minutes of each other. To cope with heavy traffic to Opua a Telicf express which is leading Auckland at 8.20 tf.m. is now going as far a3 Opua instead of Whangarei. It was stated yesterday that Christmas holiday train travellers have expressed a very notice preference for daylight, rather than night, trains. This is thought to be duo to tho fact that a Christmas Day on Sunday enables peoplo to spend the whole or tho preceding»day in travelling, instead of having to 'rush off on Christmas Eve after finishing work. However, bookings have been so heavy that seats on any train aro now being eagerly sought.