China's rail freight, passenger traffic up steadily in first 5 months

China's railway sector reported steady growth in both freight and passenger traffic in the first five months of 2026, while fixed-asset investment continued to rise, the National Railway Administration said on Monday.

From January to May, total railway freight volume reached 2.19 billion tonnes, up 3.1% year on year, while freight turnover rose by 6.2% to 1.56 trillion tonne-kilometers, according to the administration.

In terms of passenger volume, railways handled 1.97 billion passenger trips, marking an increase of 5.7% from a year earlier.

Fixed-asset investment in the railway sector reached 248.5 billion yuan (about $36.5 billion) in the January-to-May period, up by 2.6% year on year, as network construction continued to advance steadily.

An administration official said the sustained high levels of passenger and freight traffic, together with steady railway construction, are contributing to regional economic and social development.