High-speed trains wait for maintenance in Wuhan. (Photo/Xinhua)

China has the world's largest high-speed railway network, with operating mileage exceeding 35,000 kilometers by the end of this year, the country's top railway operator said Friday.

By the end of this year, the total mileage of China's railways in operation is expected to reach 139,000 kilometers. Among this total, high-speed railways will rise to 35,000 km from 29,000 km at the end of 2018, according to China State Railway Group.

The railway will handle a total of 3.6 billion trips during the year, which witnessed a year-on-year increase of 92 percent compared to passenger volume in 2012. The high-speed railway network is going to record 2.3 billion trips in 2019, the company said.