China railway travel hits record 24.8 million passengers on May 1

China’s railway system recorded an all-time high in passenger traffic on May 1, underscoring a surge in domestic travel during the ongoing May Day holiday.

The network handled 24.8 million passengers that day, setting a new single-day record, according to China State Railway Group, as per foreign media.

In a post published on May 2 via the social media platform WeChat, the company said it expected a further 19.7 million passenger journeys on May 2. It added that official booking channels had already sold 117 million train tickets for the holiday period, which runs through May 5.

The data signals robust domestic tourism activity and suggests a possible rise in consumer spending, which has remained fragile in the world’s second-largest economy since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In recent years, China has leaned heavily on exports to sustain economic growth, as weak consumption and a prolonged downturn in the property market continue to weigh on the economy, despite a series of government measures aimed at boosting spending.

This year’s May 1 passenger figure exceeded the level recorded on the same day in 2025 by 1.7 million journeys.

To accommodate the surge in travel demand, the railway network has deployed thousands of additional train services during the holiday period, the China State Railway Group said.

By Tamilla Hasanova