China Railway Passenger Traffic Hits Record in Jan-May 2026
China’s national railway network carried over 1.9 billion passenger trips in the first five months of 2026, setting a new historical record for the January-to-May period and underscoring the robust recovery of domestic travel demand across the country.
According to Xinhua News, China State Railway Group (China Railway) reported that 1.969 billion passenger trips were recorded from January through May, representing a 5.7% year-on-year increase. The daily average of passenger trains operated reached 11,541, up 5.9% from the same period last year.
A String of Records
The first five months of 2026 saw multiple passenger volume milestones. On May 1, the network handled 24.844 million passenger trips in a single day — the highest single-day figure in China’s railway history. The Qingming Festival holiday on April 4 also set a record with 22.123 million passengers in one day.
The strong performance builds on momentum from the 2026 Spring Festival (Chunyun) travel period, which ran from January 14 to February 22. During that peak season, China Railway carried 538 million passengers, a 4.8% increase year-on-year.
Cross-Border and International Growth
Cross-border railway services saw particularly strong growth. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway handled 14.534 million cross-border passenger trips, up 14.5% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the China-Laos Railway recorded 167,000 cross-border passengers, a sharp 35% increase.
Foreign passenger traffic on China’s national rail network reached 10.024 million trips in the January-to-May period, surging 35.5% compared to the same period in 2025. China Railway attributed this growth to the country’s expanded transit visa-free policies, including the 240-hour (10-day) transit visa-free scheme introduced in December 2024, which has significantly boosted inbound tourism.
Service Innovations and Passenger Experience
Beyond capacity expansion, China Railway has focused on improving the passenger experience through a range of service innovations. The “Quiet Carriage” service has been expanded to over 8,000 EMU trains, while the “Pet-Friendly Travel” program now covers 126 high-speed rail stations and 265 trains. A luggage delivery service, branded “Light Travel,” has been piloted at 111 stations.
Other notable initiatives include the “Bicycle with You” service on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou HSR line and off-peak mid-week fare discounts for senior citizens. These measures reflect a strategic shift from pure capacity expansion toward quality-of-service improvements, positioning rail as increasingly competitive with air travel for domestic routes.
Tourism Integration
China Railway has also deepened collaboration with local cultural and tourism authorities. In the first five months of 2026, the railway operated 1,400 tourism trains, including 705 dedicated tourist trains and 695 special route services, designed to support regional tourism development and passenger convenience.
Infrastructure Investment Continues
Behind the record passenger numbers lies sustained investment in railway infrastructure. According to IT Home, China Railway completed 248.5 billion yuan (approximately $34.3 billion) in fixed asset investment in the first five months of 2026, a 2.6% increase year-on-year.
Major projects advancing include the Chengdu-Chongqing Middle Line HSR, which has commenced track laying; the Xi’an-Shiyan HSR, now in operational testing; and the Xiong’an-Shangqiu HSR, which has entered full-line integration testing. The Nanchang-Jiujiang HSR has completed track laying, and construction of the Shanghai East Railway Station — a major new hub — is progressing.
As of the end of 2025, China’s national railway network spanned 165,000 kilometers, with high-speed rail exceeding 50,000 kilometers — the world’s largest HSR network. In 2025 alone, China Railway invested 901.5 billion yuan in fixed assets and put 3,109 kilometers of new lines into operation, including 2,862 kilometers of HSR.
Outlook
The record passenger figures signal sustained domestic consumption and travel demand in China’s post-pandemic economy. However, analysts note that seasonal factors — including the early timing of the 2026 Spring Festival — may have contributed to the record, and broader economic headwinds could affect future growth rates. The continued expansion of the railway network into central and western China, aligned with the government’s regional development strategy, is expected to support further passenger growth in the years ahead.