China's railway network handled a record 1.86 billion passenger trips from January to May, a year-on-year increase of 7.3 percent, according to the national railway operator China State Railway Group on Friday.

The figure marks the highest passenger volume for the same period in the country's railway history, reflecting surging demand driven by steady economic recovery, a growing tourism market and enhanced travel services, the company said.

Key indicators for passenger transport saw strong performance. In the five-month period, China's railways operated an average of 11,243 passenger trains per day — up 7.5 percent from a year earlier. On May 1, a national holiday, the network operated 13,752 passenger trains and moved a record 23.1 million passenger trips in a single day.