China’s national railway operator announced on Friday that the country’s railway network recorded a new single-day record of approximately 23.12 million passenger trips on Thursday.

According to data released by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., the figure represents an 11.7% year-on-year increase, highlighting a significant surge in rail travel across the country.

The sharp rise in ridership is attributed to increased travel during national holidays and the growing reliance on railways as a fast and reliable mode of transportation throughout China.