SHANGHAI, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The Yangtze River Delta railway network saw a record-breaking 455 million passenger trips in the first half of 2025, with a daily average of 2.51 million travelers -- a 4.6 percent year-on-year increase.

According to China Railway Shanghai Group, the second quarter saw significant growth over the first, with an all-time single-day high of nearly 4.27 million trips recorded on May 1.

During key holiday periods such as the Qingming Festival, May Day and the Dragon Boat Festival, numbers of passengers surged.

Over 30 million passengers were handled in the eight days surrounding the May Day holiday alone, averaging nearly 3.8 million per day and setting a new benchmark. To meet demand, services were optimized through data-driven adjustments to booking systems. Enhanced transport capacities included an additional 18,253 scheduled trains, as well as nighttime high-speed rail services.

The July and August summer travel period should see over 190 million trips made, the group said. Further capacity expansions, including 28.5 pairs of temporary train services, will accommodate rising tourism and demand for family travel. ■