BEIJING, May 15 -- China's railway sector set a new record, handling 1.46 billion passenger trips during the first four months of 2025, up 5.9 percent year on year, according to data from the national railway operator released on Thursday.

The national railway operated an average of 11,224 passenger trains per day during the four-month period, a year-on-year increase of 7.1 percent, said China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway).

To closely match market demand for sightseeing and eco-wellness, China Railway has carefully planned travel routes to suitable destinations, which helped boost the development of both the tourism and silver economies.

From January to April, the national railway transported around 5.69 million foreign passengers, marking a year-on-year increase of 32.1 percent, according to China Railway.