The China-Europe Railway Express (Chengdu-Chongqing) Middle Corridor Ultra-Express Block Train departs from Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, July 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

China's railway freight volume reported stable growth in the first half of 2025, with more efficient network operation and improved services, the national railway operator said Sunday.

The national railway system transported a total of 1.98 billion tonnes of cargo in the period, marking a year-on-year increase of 3 percent, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. The daily average number of loaded freight cars reached 182,400, up 4 percent from the same period last year.

The company said it made full use of the integrated rail network and pushed forward market-oriented reforms in railway freight transport to boost logistics capacity, efficiency and service quality.

During the January-June period, coal transport totaled 1.02 billion tonnes, and the freight volume for metallurgical goods and grain rose 8.6 percent and 9.8 percent, respectively.

International freight also posted stable performance. The Central Asia freight train service operated 7,349 trains, a 25 percent increase from a year ago. The China-Laos Railway transported nearly 3.03 million tonnes of cross-border cargo, up 9 percent.