China's summer travel season ends with record 954 million passenger trips
On Monday, China's intense two‑month summer travel season came to a close, with 954 million passenger trips recorded across the country, while trips by foreign nationals increased by nearly a third compared with the previous year amid the popular "China Travel" trend.
The summer season in China is not just a holiday period but a mirror of social and economic changes. Millions of people move across the country: families travel, students head to camps, foreign tourists discover the country. When trains are packed to capacity and ticket offices record record sales, it speaks volumes: about growing mobility, trust in the transport system and China's increasing appeal as a tourism destination. The figure of 954 million passenger trips is not just a statistic but a story of millions of journeys, each leaving its mark on travellers' memories.
On Tuesday, China State Railway Group reported that between 1 July and 31 August, an average of more than 11,600 passenger trains ran daily, with additional services organised to meet growing travel demand. During this period, foreign nationals made more than 4.4 million railway trips, reflecting the growing number of foreign visitors to China in recent months, thanks to the expansion of visa‑free policies.
The Guangzhou‑Shenzhen‑Hong Kong high‑speed railway handled more than 6.2 million cross‑border passenger trips, up more than 3 per cent year on year, while the China‑Laos cross‑border railway carried about 56,000 passengers during the period, representing a nearly 56 per cent year‑on‑year increase. Meanwhile, other international passenger routes connecting China with Mongolia, Russia, Vietnam and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) also continued to carry tourists throughout the 62‑day summer travel period.
Strong demand for family holidays and educational trips prompted railway authorities to launch nearly 700 special tourist trains, as well as more than 350 individual services tailored for concert‑goers and sports fans. Operators said these specialised services helped boost cultural and tourism spending along their routes. Among them was the 18‑car "Baiyun Southern Train", which began trial operations in late August on a four‑day route connecting Guangzhou in southern Guangdong Province with key destinations in central Hunan Province, including the popular tourist spot Zhangjiajie and the provincial capital Changsha. Specially equipped fan trains also served the "Mincao", or Fujian village football league in the coastal province of Fujian in eastern China, allowing fans to travel to matches on the same day and linking sporting events with local cultural and tourism consumption.
China Railway also launched a pilot project offering ticket booking services on the Beijing‑Shanghai high‑speed and conventional railways, and introduced a nationwide booking system for incoming university students, selling more than 25.3 million discounted student tickets during the two‑month summer travel season.
China's railway network, one of the most extensive in the world, plays a key role in summer travel. High‑speed lines connect major cities, while international routes open China to neighbouring countries. Driverless technology, e‑tickets and dynamic pricing systems make travel more convenient. Special attention this season was given to themed trains — for families, for sports and music fans. This not only improves comfort but also boosts domestic tourism, which is becoming an important economic driver for the regions. The expansion of visa‑free entry for foreigners is already yielding results: the nearly one‑third increase in foreign visitors is evidence of growing interest in China.
As CCTV+ reports, the 2026 summer season set a record for China's railways. 954 million passenger trips are not only a measure of mobility but also a reflection of successful government policies in transport and tourism. The rise in foreign tourists, the launch of new specialised routes and the introduction of convenient booking services are making travel in China increasingly attractive. In the coming years, the country will continue to develop its infrastructure, making every season even more vibrant and comfortable for travellers.
