BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China's railway passenger trips and cargo volume both registered growth during this year's Spring Festival travel rush, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway).

Passengers are seen on a platform at Chongqingbei Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 17, 2021.

During the travel rush, spanning from Jan. 28 to March 8, China's railways handled 218 million passenger trips, up 3.5 percent from last year's travel rush.

Railways transported 517 million tonnes of cargo during the travel rush, up 18.1 percent compared to a year earlier, data from the China Railway showed.

Many Chinese people opted to stay put during the Spring Festival holiday this year in response to the government's call to avoid unnecessary gatherings as part of anti-epidemic measures.

With a more stable epidemic prevention and control situation after the Spring Festival, people's willingness to travel has enhanced, resulting in a rebound in railway passenger trips, according to the China Railway.