Railway passenger volume hit a new high in the first three quarters, and cross-border travel demand continues to grow

On October 19, the China National Railway Group reported impressive figures for passenger transportation from January to September, revealing a record high for the same period in previous years.

According to the data, a staggering 3.33 billion passengers were transported nationwide, representing a 13.5% increase compared to the previous year. There was a notable rise in cross-border travel, with nearly 19.9 million passengers traveling via the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway, marking a remarkable 43.1% year-on-year increase. Additionally, around 190,000 passengers used the China-Laos railway for cross-border travel.

The transportation department has effectively leveraged big data from the railway ticketing platform 12306 to analyze travel demand dynamically. This has allowed for timely increases in capacity for popular routes and segments, ensuring that passenger needs are met. On average, the national railway operated 10,792 passenger trains daily, a 9.8% increase from last year. From January to September, a total of 1,430 tourism trains were launched, significantly contributing to the tourism economy and the silver economy.

Starting September 1, the national railway implemented the 2024 version of its passenger transport regulations, introducing new measures aimed at enhancing convenience for travelers. The railway 12306 platform has rolled out new features such as connection services and specialized booking options for students, continuously improving the ticketing experience for passengers.