“十四五”铁路发展创新高，钢铁动脉澎湃经济新动能

Core Insights - The "14th Five-Year Plan" for transportation has shown significant achievements, with the national railway passenger volume reaching a record high of 2.24 billion trips in the first half of the year, reflecting the robust performance of China's railway network and the overall economy [1][2]. Group 1: Passenger Transport - The record passenger transport is attributed to three main factors: strong travel demand driven by economic recovery, enhanced transportation capacity with a railway operating mileage of 162,000 kilometers, and improved service quality through various innovations [1]. - Daily passenger train operations exceed 11,000, with a capacity of 17 million trips, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.5% [1]. Group 2: Freight Transport - During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the national railway freight volume is expected to exceed 2.5 billion tons, an increase of 500 million tons compared to the previous five-year plan [2]. - The railway freight system is seen as a vital economic indicator, with high-speed rail freight operations facilitating rapid delivery of goods across the country and enhancing regional economic integration [2]. Group 3: Future Planning - The high-quality development of railways is rooted in China's structural economic reforms, with a focus on supply-side reforms and expanding domestic demand [2]. - The railway sector is actively planning for the future, aiming to improve network efficiency, reduce costs, and better meet the growing demand for passenger and freight transport [2][3].