China Railway Records 3.71 Billion Passenger Trips in 2026
China State Railway Group reported a record 3.71 billion passenger trips through September 2026, driven by tourism and expanded cross-border travel.
The China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. recorded a record 3.71 billion passenger trips during the first three quarters of 2026, marking a 4.8 percent increase compared to the previous year. The network maintained a high operational volume, averaging 11,511 passenger trains daily.
Growth was primarily fueled by a 25.5 percent rise in tourist trains, alongside an increase in special services for concertgoers and sports fans. International travel also saw significant gains, with foreign passenger trips increasing 33.4 percent to over 19 million, a trend supported by visa-free transit policies. Cross-border corridors showed strong performance, specifically the China-Laos Railway, which saw trips rise by 37.8 percent, and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway, which handled more than 25.8 million trips.
This surge in traffic follows a steady expansion of the national high-speed rail infrastructure. The network surpassed 50,000 km by the end of 2025, and the government maintains a long-term target of reaching 70,000 km by 2035.
