China recorded 307 million railway passenger trips between July 1, the start of the summer travel rush, and July 22, data from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. showed Tuesday. The company said the figure marks an increase of 6.5 percent from the same period last year. 

This year's summer travel rush will last for 62 days until August 3. According to the company's prediction, China is expected to see 860 million railway trips during this year's summer travel rush.

The travel rush is usually a busy season for China's railway network as college students return home and transport demand soars due to family visits and tourism. Some 13.87 million passenger trips are expected to be made daily on average during the period, the railway operator said.

With simplified entry procedures and the expansion of visa-free policies, the country has become a popular destination for overseas tourists.

According to the latest data from the National Immigration Administration (NIA), China recorded 14.64 million inbound trips made by foreigners in the first half of this year, up 152.7 percent year on year. The number of visa-free entries made by foreigners exceeded 8.54 million from January to June, accounting for 52 percent of the inbound trips and representing a year-on-year surge of 190.1 percent.

With more people posting their travel experiences in China on social media, "China Travel" has become a top trending search term on multiple social media platforms. The NIA expects the number of foreigners visiting China to continue to rise in the second half of this year.