BEIJING, Aug. 1 -- China recorded 423 million railway passenger trips in July, the first half of the two-month summer travel rush, data from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. showed Thursday.

The figure marked an increase of 4 percent from the same period last year. The company said that the average daily number of railway passenger trips reached 13.63 million in July.

Since the start of the 2024 summer vacation, demand for student travel, tourism and family visits has been strong, keeping railway passenger flow at a high level, according to the company.

Despite extreme weather conditions, the railway operator said it has secured the transportation of goods and passengers amid floods, and worked hard to ensure summer passenger transportation and the delivery of key materials for people's livelihood, thereby providing solid support for both passenger travel and economic operation.

The summer travel rush is usually a busy season for the country's railway system as college students return home for the summer vacation, while family visits and tourist trips also increase during this season. This year's summer travel rush runs from July 1 to Aug. 31.