BEIJING -- China has seen 211 million railway passenger trips since the start of the summer travel rush, between July 1 and 15, data from the China State Railway Group Co Ltd showed Tuesday.

The figure marks an increase of 6.5 percent from the same period last year, the company said, adding that the average daily number of railway passenger trips reached 14.03 million in the first 15 days of July.

The demand for student travel during the summer vacation, tourism and family visits is strong, keeping railway passenger flow at a high level, according to the company.

It has formulated a summer passenger transportation plan, increased transportation capacity, implemented measures to facilitate and benefit the passengers, and made efforts to provide reliable guarantees for safe and orderly passenger travel and stable economic operation.

The summer travel rush is usually a busy season for the country's railway system as college students return home for the summer vacation, while family visits and tourist trips also increase during the season. This year's summer travel rush lasts from July 1 to August 31.