China's urban passenger transport drops in H1

BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) -- China recorded a decline in passenger transport in urban areas in the first half of this year (H1), official data showed.

In the January-June period, the number of passenger trips in 36 major cities stood at 20.7 billion, down 22.1 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

The northern city of Shijiazhuang reversed the overall downturn, registering a 28.6-percent growth during the period.

In terms of transportation modes, bus and tram passengers dropped 23.5 percent, while urban rail passengers shrank 20.3 percent, according to the ministry.