First-Quarter Performance of the Transportation Economy

April 23, 2026, 9:00 AM

Ministry of Transport

114

Guide

Highlights at a glance

This paper systematically introduces the overall operation of China's transportation industry in the first quarter of 2024. Data show that the industry started well, the main indicators showed a positive growth trend. In terms of freight, the volume of commercial freight reached 13.19 billion tons, an increase of 4.1 percent over the same period last year, of which both road and waterway freight achieved steady growth. Port operations performed well, with cargo throughput reaching 4.39 billion tons, up 4.0 percent year-on-year, especially foreign trade throughput up 7.6 percent and container throughput up 8.0 percent. In terms of personnel mobility, the number of cross-regional personnel mobility reached 17.77 billion, an increase of 2.2 percent over the same period last year, showing an increase in social activity; the total number of urban passenger transport was 25.58 billion, the internal structure was somewhat differentiated, and the passenger traffic volume of rail transit and taxis increased, while the passenger traffic volume of public buses and trams decreased slightly. In addition, investment in fixed assets in the transportation sector maintained a high intensity, with an investment of 651.9 billion billion yuan completed in the first quarter, mainly concentrated in highway and water transportation projects, laying a solid foundation for infrastructure construction and long-term economic development. On the whole, the transportation industry in the first quarter provided an important guarantee for the smooth operation of the national economy.

　　In the first quarter, the overall operation of the transportation economy was stable and started well. Key indicators such as freight volume and port cargo throughput continued their rapid growth trend, the volume of personnel movement remained strong, and the scale of transportation fixed asset investment stayed at a high level.

　　1. Operational Freight Volume

　　In the first quarter, the operational freight volume reached 13.19 billion tons, an increase of 4.1% year-on-year. Among them, road freight volume reached 9.88 billion tons, an increase of 4.0% year-on-year; waterway freight volume reached 2.03 billion tons, an increase of 5.7% year-on-year.

Figure 1 Monthly Year-on-Year Growth Rate of Operational Freight Volume

　　2. Port Cargo Throughput

　　In the first quarter, port cargo throughput reached 4.39 billion tons, an increase of 4.0% year-on-year. Among them, domestic and foreign trade throughput increased by 2.4% and 7.6% year-on-year, respectively. Container throughput reached 89.64 million TEUs, an increase of 8.0% year-on-year.

Figure 2 Monthly Year-on-Year Growth Rate of Port Cargo Throughput

　　3. Personnel Movement Volume

　　In the first quarter, cross-regional personnel movement volume reached 17.77 billion person-times, an increase of 2.2% year-on-year. Among them, road personnel movement volume reached 16.38 billion person-times, an increase of 1.9% year-on-year; waterway passenger volume reached 58.56 million person-times, an increase of 6.8% year-on-year.

Figure 3 Monthly Year-on-Year Growth Rate of Cross-Regional Personnel Movement Volume

　　In terms of urban passenger transport, in the first quarter, urban passenger transport volume reached 25.58 billion person-times, an increase of 1.1% year-on-year. Among them, urban rail transit and taxis completed 8.04 billion person-times and 8.88 billion person-times, respectively, with year-on-year increases of 3.7% and 4.0%; public buses and trolleybuses, as well as urban passenger ferries, completed 8.64 billion person-times and 17.27 million person-times, respectively, with year-on-year decreases of 3.9% and 3.0%.

　　4. Transportation Fixed Asset Investment

　　In the first quarter, transportation fixed asset investment reached 651.9 billion yuan, with road and waterway investments reaching 443.7 billion yuan and 49.3 billion yuan, respectively.

　　(The above comprehensive statistical data is sourced from the Comprehensive Planning Department of the Ministry of Transport)

The national economy got off to a good start in the first quarter.

The first shipping ETF has already reached a size of RMB 1.6 billion.

Decanter

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First-Quarter Performance of the Transportation Economy