China-Europe Trains: A New Path to Connectivity

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

On November 28, China-Europe freight train X8086, loaded with 55 containers, departed from Chengdu International Railway Port for the Polish city of Małaszewicze. This brings the total number of China-Europe journeys since the first train departed to over 12,000, and the value of the freight transported exceeded USD 490 billion.

As an important practical tool within the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Europe railway connection has continued to strengthen and expand the logistics network stretching across the Eurasian continent in recent years. China-Europe trains clearly demonstrate the enormous development potential unlocked by the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and railway connections – they serve as key hubs for collection and distribution centers, as well as railway routes connecting various points, and as freight trains.

Improving the quality of rail transportation

On November 18, train number X8003 departed Putian Station, Zhengzhou Province, China, for Hamburg, Germany, marking the inclusion of the fourth batch of China-Europe trains into the full timetable system and further improving the quality of service.

At the China-Europe International Railway Cooperation Forum held the same day, the full schedule for the fourth batch of trains was officially unveiled. The number of China-Europe trains operating on the full schedule has further increased, bringing the annual number of trains operating on the full schedule to over 1,000.

Currently, China-Europe trains operate regularly 17 times a week, operating on a full schedule. Their overall travel time has been reduced by more than 30% on average compared to conventional trains, while the average container value has increased by 41%, continuing to foster multilateral cooperation among countries along the route.

Further acceleration of corridor construction

On November 20, a China-Europe train loaded with 55 containers departed the Ereenhot border crossing in Inner Mongolia for Russia. This trip marked the year-to-date record for the number of trains passing through this crossing point, exceeding 3,500. As demand for cross-border transportation continues to grow, the number of China-Europe trains crossing the Ereenhot border crossing point, their routes, and the range of goods carried continue to expand.

On December 5, China-Europe train X8422, loaded with mechanical equipment, cashmere, furniture, and other goods, departed from the Shijiazhuang International Land Port in Hebei Province. Since the beginning of this year, the number of China-Europe trains departing from Shijiazhuang has exceeded 1,100, making the port the first hub in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region for China-Europe trains, with an annual volume of over 1,000 trips. This has further enhanced the attractiveness and competitiveness of the Shijiazhuang International Land Port as a new benchmark for inland openness.

Since the establishment of China-Europe international freight collection and distribution centers in 2020 in five cities—Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Urumqi—and the addition of nine more earlier this year, 14 such centers are now operating across the country. These collection and distribution centers, acting as key logistics hubs, perform the primary functions of collecting, transiting, and distributing freight, significantly improving the efficiency of rail service.

Today, China-Europe trains operate along three main corridors: eastern, central, and western. New southern routes, such as those across the Caspian and Black Seas, continue to expand and provide seamless connections with the new western land-sea route and the "golden waterway of the Yangtze River," creating a three-dimensional network of corridors with "multiple destinations, routes, and directions."

At the same time, the range of goods carried by China-Europe trains continues to expand, currently covering 53 categories and over 50,000 products. China-Europe trains not only transport goods but also facilitate closer trade and economic exchanges and create opportunities for greater connectivity.

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