China’s railway passenger trips reach record high in first half of 2026

China's railway network handled a record 2.348 billion passenger trips in the first half of 2026, up 5 percent year-on-year, as demand for tourism, business and cross-border travel continued to grow, according to China State Railway Group on Monday.

An average of 11,468 passenger trains operated each day during the six-month period, an increase of 5.8 percent from a year earlier. Railway authorities said capacity was adjusted dynamically based on booking data to accommodate surging travel demand during the Spring Festival travel rush and major public holidays.

The busiest travel day was May 1, when the railway network carried a record 24.84 million passengers.

Tourism remained a major driver of rail travel. A total of 1,797 tourist train services operated nationwide in the first half, including themed routes linking major scenic destinations and cultural attractions, as railway operators expanded travel products to boost tourism consumption.

Cross-border rail services also posted strong growth. The China-Laos Railway carried 188,000 cross-border passengers, up 25.9 percent year-on-year, while the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway transported nearly 17 million cross-border passengers, an increase of 13.8 percent. China's railways also handled 12.31 million foreign passenger trips during the period, up 33.6 percent, supported in part by the country's expanded visa-free transit policies.

Railway authorities introduced a range of passenger-friendly measures during the period, including expanded pet transport services on selected high-speed trains, more silent carriages, wider availability of multi-trip tourism passes and improved digital ticketing services.

With the summer travel season underway, railway authorities said they will continue to monitor demand, add capacity where needed and adjust operations in response to severe weather to ensure safe and efficient travel.