China's railway system set a new benchmark in the first half of this year, logging a record 2.24 billion passenger trips, up 6.7 percent from last year, as the country's vast and increasingly advanced rail network continues to drive national mobility and support economic growth. 

今年上半年，中国铁路系统创下新纪录，累计发送旅客 22.4 亿人次，同比增长 6.7%。中国庞大且日益先进的铁路网络持续推动全国人员流动，为经济增长提供支撑。

 The figures, released by China State Railway Group, represent the highest number of passenger trips ever recorded in the country over a six-month period. The surge reflects increased capacity, improved service offerings and better support for tourism and international passenger services. 

中国国家铁路集团发布的数据显示，这是该国半年期旅客发送量的历史最高纪录。客流量的激增反映出铁路运力提升、服务质量改善，以及对旅游业和国际客运服务的支持力度加大。 

During the first six months, China's railway network operated an average of 11,183 passenger trains per day, a 7.5 percent increase from last year. The growth has a direct correlation to the expanded use of high-speed and conventional lines, as well as the addition of new routes and stations such as the Chongqing East-Qianjiang section of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway. Another 121 new Fuxing bullet train sets were also launched during this period. 

上半年，中国铁路网日均开行旅客列车 11183 列，同比增长 7.5%。这一增长与高铁和普速铁路的运力扩充直接相关，也得益于新线路和新车站的投用，例如渝厦高铁重庆东 — 黔江段。同期，还新增了 121 组 “复兴号” 动车组列车。

 Passenger traffic peaked during major holidays. On May 1, the first day of the May Day holiday, China's railways handled a record 23.1 million passenger trips, the highest single-day figure in history. 

节假日期间客流量达到峰值。5 月 1 日（“五一” 假期首日），中国铁路发送旅客 2310 万人次，创下单日历史新高。

 Beyond volume, authorities emphasized service diversification, ranging from maintaining regular-speed public interest trains to launching rural vitalization services and enhancing cross-border routes. Between January and June, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link handled more than 15 million cross-border trips, a 16.1 percent increase from last year, while the China-Laos Railway carried nearly 139,000 cross-border travelers, up 19.1 percent. Connections with Russia, Vietnam and Mongolia also supported growing regional travel and trade. 

除了客流量，有关部门还注重服务多元化，包括保留普速公益性列车、推出乡村振兴服务以及完善跨境线路等。1 月至 6 月，广深港高铁跨境旅客发送量超 1500 万人次，同比增长 16.1%；中老铁路跨境旅客发送量近 13.9 万人次，同比增长 19.1%。与俄罗斯、越南、蒙古等国的铁路连接也为区域旅游和贸易的增长提供了支撑。

 More foreign travelers are also turning to China's rail system as a result of relaxed transit visa policies and tailored travel services. The first half of the year saw more than 9.1 million trips made by international passengers, a 30.1 percent increase from last year.

 得益于过境签证政策放宽和定制化旅游服务，越来越多的外国游客选择乘坐中国铁路出行。今年上半年，国际旅客发送量超 910 万人次，同比增长 30.1%。

 Tourism train services have also emerged as a vibrant new growth engine. A total of 972 tourism trains operated across the country from January to June, up 23.2 percent from last year, with routes designed to highlight China's natural beauty and cultural heritage.

 旅游专列服务也成为一个充满活力的新增长引擎。1 月至 6 月，全国共开行旅游专列 972 列，同比增长 23.2%，这些线路的设计旨在彰显中国的自然风光和文化遗产。

 Que Chunying, 62, is among the many travelers who have hopped on these trains to enjoy the scenery. Que joined a six-day tour from Nanchang in Jiangxi province to Fujian province in April.

 62 岁的阙春英（音译）是众多乘坐旅游专列欣赏风景的旅客之一。今年 4 月，她参加了从江西南昌到福建的六日游。

 "It's been such a long time since I've heard so many old songs from my era," she said. "We sang together, talked about our lives — I made so many new friends." 

她说：“我已经很久没听到这么多我那个年代的老歌了。我们一起唱歌，聊生活 —— 我交了好多新朋友。”

 Que was especially moved by the cultural performances aboard the train, which featured traditional folk songs, dances and calligraphy demonstrations. 

列车上的文化表演让阙春英尤为感动，其中包括传统民歌、舞蹈和书法展示。

 "Even the shyest passengers started humming along. By the end, it had turned into a group chorus," she said. 

她说：“就连最害羞的乘客也开始跟着哼唱。到最后，变成了大合唱。” 

These "silver-haired" tourism trains — including the Panda Train, Jinghe Line and Qilu No. 1 tourism train — are designed specifically for senior travelers, turning the journey into a cultural experience. The routes are planned in collaboration with local tourism authorities and scenic sites, with the aim of tapping into China's growing "silver economy". 

这些 “银发” 旅游专列 —— 包括熊猫专列、京和号、齐鲁一号旅游专列等 —— 专为老年旅客设计，将旅程变成一种文化体验。线路的规划与地方旅游部门和景区合作进行，旨在挖掘中国不断增长的 “银发经济” 潜力。 

With the summer travel season underway, a new national train schedule was launched on July 1 to meet rising demand. The revised timetable adds 236 daily passenger trains, bringing the total to 13,302 scheduled services nationwide.

 随着暑期旅游季的到来，7 月 1 日起全国铁路实行新的列车运行图，以满足增长的需求。新运行图日均新增旅客列车 236 列，全国旅客列车开行总量达到 13302 列。 

The updated schedule aims to ease pressure during the peak season by adding trains, increasing stops and reducing travel times along popular tourist routes, making scenic destinations more accessible. 

新运行图通过在热门旅游线路上加开列车、增加停靠站点和缩短旅行时间，缓解旺季压力，让景区更容易抵达。

 benchmark /ˈbentʃmɑːk/ 基准，标杆 

vitalization /ˌvaɪtəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/ 振兴，活化 

tailored /ˈteɪləd/ 定制的，量身打造的

 accessible /əkˈsesəbl/ 易到达的，易进入的