BEIJING, July 14 -- The volume and turnover of China's rail freight reached historic highs in June, maintaining top global rankings, data showed on Sunday.

The country's railways transported 332 million tonnes of cargo in June, with a freight turnover of 266.5 billion tonne-kilometers, up 6.1 percent and 5.3 percent year on year, respectively, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd, China's national passenger and freight railroad operator.

In June, national rail shipments of containers, automobiles and cold-chain cargo increased 18 percent, 12.1 percent and 21.2 percent, respectively, all reaching record highs.

Earlier data shows that rail passenger trips in China hit a record high of approximately 2.1 billion in the first half of 2024, a year-on-year surge of 18.4 percent.

Cross-border cargo transportation has also seen rapid growth, ensuring the stability of international supply chains and injecting new impetus into China's foreign trade development and high-level opening-up, the operator said.

The China-Europe freight train service recorded 1,719 trips in June, up 15 percent year on year, and shipped 180,000 containers, up 11 percent.

The service has recorded more than 10,000 trips this year, connecting 224 cities in 25 European countries and over 100 cities in 11 Asian countries. Its trains transport more than 50,000 types of goods.

Cross-border cargo shipments on the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, climbed to 2.783 million tonnes last month, a year-on-year increase of 20.7 percent.