China's railway system has rewritten its record books with 2.24 billion passenger trips recorded between January and June 2025, marking a 6.7% increase compared to the same period last year. The announcement from China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. reveals an average daily operation of 11,183 trains – a 7.5% year-on-year surge in transportation capacity.
Holiday Rush Breaks Single-Day Records
The network's resilience was tested on May 1, when over 23 million passengers traveled during the peak of the five-day Labor Day holiday – the highest single-day figure in China's railway history. This milestone underscores both operational efficiency and growing public confidence in rail travel.
Global Engagement on Track
Eased visa policies contributed to a 30.1% spike in foreign passenger trips, with 9.15 million international travelers choosing rail transport. Cross-border connectivity also flourished, particularly along the China-Laos Railway corridor which saw 139,000 passenger journeys – a 19.1% annual increase.
These developments position China's rail network as both a domestic mobility engine and a growing component of international travel infrastructure across Asia.
