BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- 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.

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. ■