International travel via rail also showed notable growth. The number of foreign passenger trips surged 29 percent year-on-year to 7.67 million from January to May. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link registered 12.58 million cross-border passenger trips during the period, up 16.7 percent, while the China-Laos Railway logged 124,000 cross-border passenger trips, a 24.2 percent increase.

Tourism-focused services were another bright spot. In response to growing demand for cultural, ecological and senior-friendly travel, the railway operator launched 630 customized tourist trains in the first five months of the year — a 20.2 percent rise year-on-year. These included "silver-hair" trains tailored for elderly passengers and routes coordinated with scenic destinations, hotels, and cultural agencies.

Service upgrades continued across the network. The 12306 ticketing platform — China's primary online rail booking system — rolled out several enhancements, including discounts for frequent senior passengers, flexible ticket types and quieter carriages on 92 bullet train routes. Accessibility also improved, with facial recognition and social security card scanning available at select stations, and expanded assistance services for seniors, children, pregnant women and passengers with disabilities.

The national railway operator said it will continue to enhance passenger experience with more user-friendly technology, improved onboard services and cultural engagement initiatives such as themed trains and travel campaigns aimed at promoting traditional Chinese culture.