China's railway freight sector maintained stable growth in the first half of 2025, supported by improved network efficiency and upgraded services, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. announced.

The national railway system transported 1.98 billion tonnes of cargo from January to June, marking a 3% year-on-year increase. Daily loaded freight cars averaged 182,400—up 4% from the same period in 2024.

The company credited enhanced use of the integrated rail network and ongoing market-oriented reforms for boosting logistics capacity and service quality.

In the first half of the year, coal remained the dominant commodity, with transport volumes reaching 1.02 billion tonnes. Freight volumes for metallurgical products and grain climbed 8.6% and 9.8%, respectively.

International freight also gained traction. The Central Asia freight train operated 7,349 trains, reflecting a 25% surge. The China-Laos Railway delivered nearly 3.03 million tonnes of cross-border cargo, a 9% increase year-on-year.