BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- China recorded a total of 151 million railway passenger trips during the travel rush witnessed in the recent May Day holiday period, the country's railway operator said on Wednesday.

These trips were made in the period running from April 29 to May 6, and amounted to an increase of 10.6 percent year on year, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

On May 1, the first day of the five-day holiday, the railway system registered a new single-day record of more than 23 million passenger trips, it said.

In terms of freight transportation, the railways carried nearly 89.5 million tonnes of goods during the May Day holiday travel period, an increase of 4.6 percent year on year.

The company also revealed that 12,801 passenger trains were in operation on average per day during this period -- up 6.8 percent year on year.

The May Day holiday is typically one of the busiest travel periods of the year in China. The travel surge during this period boosts revenues in both the tourism and retail sectors.■