China rail trips recover to 77% of pre-pandemic level

About 1.37 billion trips were taken on China’s railways in the first half of this year, up two-thirds year-on-year and back to 77% of the 2019 level, according to data released Sunday by the network operator, reported Caixin.

Cargo transport volume rose 8.9% year-on-year in the first six months to 1.85 billion tons, partly driven by increasing demand for commodities as China’s manufacturers continued to recover from the pandemic’s impact.

The first-half trip figure was dragged by the government’s call for people to stay put during the Lunar New Year holiday — usually peak travel season — amid a spate of Covid-19 flare-ups during the first quarter. Passenger traffic on China’s railways in February slumped 50.8% year-on-year to 143 million travelers, according to data released Sunday by China State Railway Group.