HONG KONG, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong section of the high-speed railway connecting the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong has recorded over 90 million passenger trips since it was put into operation, railway operator MTR Corporation said Tuesday.

Launched seven years ago, the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) has remained highly popular among commuters, according to the MTR Corporation.

In the first eight months of this year, passenger trips on the section rose nearly 20 percent from a year ago to 20 million, with August alone witnessing over 3.2 million passenger trips -- a new monthly record since it entered into service.

The record-breaking passenger volume highlighted the growth momentum fueled by integration between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, the MTR said. The company also pledged to further strengthen the XRL's role as a key regional transport hub while continuing to improve service.

The Hong Kong section of the line now operates over 100 pairs of trains daily, connecting the city with 96 mainland stations. Enditem