BEIJING - China's railways recorded a historic high in terms of passenger trips during the January-August period this year, the national railway operator said Wednesday.

A total of 3.2 billion passenger trips were made during this period, marking a 6.7-percent increase year-on-year, according to data provided by China State Railway Group Co Ltd.

During the period, an average of 11,127 trains were operated daily, up 7.7 percent compared to a year earlier.

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Cross-border railway services also operated steadily during this period. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway recorded nearly 21.15 million passenger trips, while the China-Laos Railway handled 174,000 trips.

To cater for growing market demand for tourism, wellness retreats and educational trips, railway authorities have designed specialized train routes for tourists.

A total of 1,551 specialized tourist trains were operated during this 8-month period, up 26.1 percent year-on-year — thereby providing strong support for the tourism sector.