China’s railway network handled 1.86 billion passenger trips during the first five months of 2025, according to data released by the China Railway Group Co., Ltd.
This represents a 7.3% year-on-year increase and a record high compared to similar historical periods, according to data released by the group.
During the same period, an average of 11,240 trains operated daily, a 7.5% increase year-on-year, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The highest daily passenger traffic of the year was recorded on May 1, the five-day Labor Day holiday, when 13,750 trains operated, providing more than 23 million passenger trips.
Chinese Railway Group Co., Ltd. said that these two figures set the highest single-day records to date. As China expands its visa-free policy for foreign nationals, the country’s railways have recorded a growing number of foreign passengers. Data shows that foreign nationals made 7.67 million train trips in China during the first five months of this year, a 29% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, cross-border railway transport also registered rapid growth during the period. For example, the China-Laos Railway recorded 124,000 passenger trips, representing a 24.2% year-on-year increase.
