More than 800 extra train services were laid on to try to cope with demand, it added.
China has long boasted an extensive rail system but in recent years has pushed the development of super-fast trains that have slashed travel times between major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and made rail travel competitive with flying.
About 8.44 million trips were taken on Monday, the paper reported, a 21 percent increase from last year.
There were 7.25 million train tickets sold, about half through online sales -- an increasingly popular way to avoid long and hectic queues common during the Lunar New Year.
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