Rail travel surges amid operational expansions

China's railway system set a new benchmark in the first half of this year, logging a record 2.24 billion passenger trips, up 6.7 percent from last year, as the country's vast and increasingly advanced rail network continues to drive national mobility and support economic growth.

The figures, released by China State Railway Group, represent the highest number of passenger trips ever recorded in the country over a six-month period. The surge reflects increased capacity, improved service offerings and better support for tourism and international passenger services.

During the first six months, China's railway network operated an average of 11,183 passenger trains per day, a 7.5 percent increase from last year. The growth has a direct correlation to the expanded use of high-speed and conventional lines, as well as the addition of new routes and stations such as the Chongqing East-Qianjiang section of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway. Another 121 new Fuxing bullet train sets were also launched during this period.

Passenger traffic peaked during major holidays. On May 1, the first day of the May Day holiday, China's railways handled a record 23.1 million passenger trips, the highest single-day figure in history.

Beyond volume, authorities emphasized service diversification, ranging from maintaining regular-speed public interest trains to launching rural vitalization services and enhancing cross-border routes. Between January and June, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link handled more than 15 million cross-border trips, a 16.1 percent increase from last year, while the China-Laos Railway carried nearly 139,000 cross-border travelers, up 19.1 percent. Connections with Russia, Vietnam and Mongolia also supported growing regional travel and trade.

More foreign travelers are also turning to China's rail system as a result of relaxed transit visa policies and tailored travel services. The first half of the year saw more than 9.1 million trips made by international passengers, a 30.1 percent increase from last year.

Tourism train services have also emerged as a vibrant new growth engine. A total of 972 tourism trains operated across the country from January to June, up 23.2 percent from last year, with routes designed to highlight China's natural beauty and cultural heritage.

Que Chunying, 62, is among the many travelers who have hopped on these trains to enjoy the scenery. Que joined a six-day tour from Nanchang in Jiangxi province to Fujian province in April.

"It's been such a long time since I've heard so many old songs from my era," she said. "We sang together, talked about our lives — I made so many new friends."

Que was especially moved by the cultural performances aboard the train, which featured traditional folk songs, dances and calligraphy demonstrations.

"Even the shyest passengers started humming along. By the end, it had turned into a group chorus," she said.

These "silver-haired" tourism trains — including the Panda Train, Jinghe Line and Qilu No. 1 tourism train — are designed specifically for senior travelers, turning the journey into a cultural experience. The routes are planned in collaboration with local tourism authorities and scenic sites, with the aim of tapping into China's growing "silver economy".

With the summer travel season underway, a new national train schedule was launched on July 1 to meet rising demand. The revised timetable adds 236 daily passenger trains, bringing the total to 13,302 scheduled services nationwide.

The updated schedule aims to ease pressure during the peak season by adding trains, increasing stops and reducing travel times along popular tourist routes, making scenic destinations more accessible.