China's railway network handled 1.86 billion passenger trips in the first five months of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 7.3 percent, and a record high for the same period in history, according to official data released Friday by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. -- the national railway operator.
In the five-month period, 11,243 train trips on average were operated on a daily basis, up 7.5 percent year on year.
The highest daily passenger traffic this year was recorded on May 1, the first day of a five-day May Day holiday. On this day, 13,752 train trips were made, with more than 23 million passenger departures. These two numbers both marked the highest single-day records of their kind so far, the company said.
As China further expands its visa-free policies for foreign nationals, the nation's railways have noted a growing number of foreign passengers. In the first five months of 2025, foreign nationals made 7.67 million passenger trips by train in China, jumping 29 percent year on year, the data showed.
Meanwhile, cross-border railway transport also saw fast growth during the period. For instance, the China-Laos Railway recorded 124,000 passenger trips, representing an increase of 24.2 percent year on year, according to the data.
To meet growing travel demand, railway authorities have enhanced service offerings by introducing specialized tourist trains catering to leisure and wellness tourism, while also improving accessibility for elderly passengers. These initiatives include partnerships between premium train services and popular tourist destinations, creating new travel experiences that support both the tourism sector and the silver economy.
China's railway passenger traffic hits record high in Jan-May
