China's transport services reported surging passenger numbers on Thursday, the first day of the May Day holiday, reflecting surging tourism demand and economic vitality.

The total number of inter-regional passenger trips made on Thursday increased 6.2 percent year on year to 332.7 million, data from the Ministry of Transport showed on Friday.

Passenger trips made on roads accounted for the lion's share of these journeys, climbing 4.7 percent year on year to 305.61 million.

Passenger trips made by water soared 87.5 percent compared to the same day last year, and air passenger trips logged year-on-year growth of 8.9 percent.

The country's railway network handled a record of nearly 23.12 million passenger trips, a year-on-year increase of 11.7 percent, according to data released by the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

To accommodate the surge in passenger traffic, additional train services have been arranged, with 13,800 passenger trains operating on Thursday, according to the railway operator.

A travel rush is expected between April 29 and May 6, with railway passenger trips forecast to reach a total of 144 million during the period, the railway operator said.

According to China's 12306 railway booking platform, popular destinations for the holiday include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Nanjing and Zhengzhou.

Compared to the short-distance trips that are typical over China's three-day Qingming Festival holiday, travelers during the May Day holiday are traveling farther and exploring a broader range of destinations. On Thursday, tourist destinations covered 1,229 counties nationwide, with related bookings up 20 percent year on year, according to data from online travel agency Qunar.com.