BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China's railway passenger trips and freight volume rose in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, official data showed on Wednesday.

In the first three months of 2026, the country's railways handled more than 1.13 billion passenger trips, an increase of 5.5 percent year on year, according to data released by the National Railway Administration.

During the same period, the country's railways handled over 1.28 billion tonnes of freight, up 2.2 percent year on year.

Railway freight turnover totaled 907.2 billion tonne-km in the first quarter, 5.1 percent higher than a year earlier.

Fixed-asset investment in the railway sector totaled 137.9 billion yuan (about 20.1 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of 2026, up 5.1 percent year on year, indicating steady growth in railway construction investment.

The administration said railway freight transport maintained good growth momentum in the first quarter, while passenger transport remained at a high level, effectively meeting cargo transport demand and ensuring safe, orderly and comfortable travel for passengers. ■