China's transport sector sees growth in 2025
By Luo Wangshu | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-01-30 09:28
China's transport sector recorded year-on-year growth in 2025, with increases in freight movement, port activity, and infrastructure investment, according to the Ministry of Transport on Friday.
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, ministry spokeswoman Li Ying said overall transport operations remained generally stable during the year.
Cross-regional passenger travel increased in 2025, with total trips reaching 66.86 billion, up 3.5 percent year-on-year. Rail and civil aviation passenger volumes recorded higher growth rates than road travel, while passenger transport by water remained largely unchanged. Rail passenger volume rose 6.7 percent, while civil aviation passenger traffic increased 5.5 percent from the previous year, Li said.
Road travel, which accounted for the largest share of cross-regional movement, grew by 3.3 percent, while waterway passenger transport remained largely unchanged.
Commercial freight transport continued to expand, with total cargo volumes rising by just over 3 percent from 2024, Li said. Freight carried by rail, road, waterways and civil aviation all recorded year-on-year increases, while express delivery volumes continued to grow, reflecting sustained demand in the logistics sector.
Port throughput also increased in 2025, supported by both domestic and foreign trade. Total port cargo handling rose by more than 4 percent from the previous year, while container throughput increased by nearly 7 percent. Growth in foreign trade containers was faster than that of domestic containers, Li said.
Transport infrastructure investment remained at a high level in 2025, Li said. Total fixed-asset investment in the sector is estimated to have exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan (about $518 billion). Investment in railways reached about 900 billion yuan, while spending on roads and waterways accounted for the majority of the total. Investment in civil aviation also continued.
Li said the figures indicate that China's transport sector maintained stable operations in 2025, with growth observed across freight transport, passenger travel, and infrastructure investment.
