BEIJING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's railway freight volume maintained steady growth in the first 11 months of 2025, contributing to lower logistics costs across the economy and supported the stable operation of the national economy.

The national railway system transported a total of 3.7 billion tonnes of cargo in the period, marking a year-on-year increase of 2.7 percent, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. said on Friday.

The daily average number of loaded freight cars reached 187,000, up 3.7 percent from the same period last year.

During the January-November period, the freight volume for metallurgical materials and grains rose 8.5 percent and 10 percent year on year, respectively.

International freight also posted a stable performance. In November, a total of 1,852 China-Europe freight trains trips were operated, a 21-percent increase from a year ago, hitting a record high in a single month. The China-Laos Railway transported over 4.98 million tonnes of cross-border cargo, up 15 percent year on year. ■