China railway hits 24.8M passengers on May 1, single‑day record

China’s railway system recorded a single‑day high of 24.8 million passengers on May 1, according to the China State Railway Group (CSRG). The figure, posted on the state‑run WeChat account, reflects the strongest demand for domestic travel since the start of the May Day holiday, which extends through Tuesday.

The group also said that an additional 19.7 million journeys are expected on Saturday, bringing total ticket sales for the holiday period to 117 million. To accommodate the surge, the railway network has added thousands of extra services across its extensive network.

The data underscore a resurgence in domestic tourism and suggest a tentative rebound in consumer spending, which has remained subdued in China following the Covid‑19 pandemic. In recent years, weakened consumption and a prolonged slump in the property market have pushed the Chinese economy to rely heavily on exports, despite a series of pro‑consumption measures introduced by the government.

Compared with the same date in 2025, the May 1 railway traffic is up by 1.7 million passengers, indicating a modest but notable increase in travel activity. The CSRG’s figures point to a broader pattern of heightened mobility as Chinese citizens take advantage of the extended holiday to travel within the country.

The rise in passenger numbers comes at a time when policymakers are closely monitoring domestic demand as a driver of economic recovery. While the tourism boost is positive, analysts note that sustained growth in consumption will be necessary to offset the lingering weakness in other sectors, particularly real estate.

The CSRG’s report provides a concrete measure of holiday‑time travel demand and signals that the railway system is effectively scaling capacity to meet peak requirements. Continued monitoring of passenger volumes and ticket sales will offer further insight into the trajectory of China’s domestic market as the country moves beyond pandemic‑related disruptions.

(Report compiled from CSRG statements and AFP monitoring.)