BEIJING — A total of 456 million railway trips were made in China from July 1 to Aug 31, the latest data from the national railway operator showed.

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the number is below the 735 million railway trips registered in the same period last year.

Passenger flows, however, have been warming up as 249 million railway trips were made in August, an increase of 42.5 million compared to July, according to the China State Railway Group Co Ltd. (China Railway).

The number of railway trips hit 9.68 million on Aug 29, a new daily high after the Spring Festival this year, according to the China Railway.