BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- China's railway passenger and cargo transport grew steadily in the first five months of this year, data from the national railway operator showed.

A total of 1.44 billion rail passenger trips were made in the January-May period, up 118 million year on year, according to the China Railway Corporation (CRC).

Cargo transport reached 1.35 billion tonnes, up 63.79 million tonnes from the same period last year.

In May alone, the country's railway network handled 301.48 million railway trips, up 14.3 percent year on year.

The CRC attributed the surge in railway passenger transport to the four-day May Day holiday.

May also saw railway cargo transport increase 17.6 million tonnes to hit 287.62 million tonnes, it added.