Post by : Badri Ariffin

China has announced plans to further strengthen its China-Europe freight train services during its 15th Five-Year Plan covering 2026 to 2030. The country aims to improve operations through innovative management, stronger international partnerships and the development of additional rail service routes.

The announcement was made on Tuesday during a news conference in Beijing, where Liang Linchong, Director-General of the Department of Regional Opening-up at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), outlined the country's future strategy for the rail freight network.

China Plans Smarter Rail Freight Operations

Liang said China will improve cross-border support systems to increase the global competitiveness of China-Europe freight train services. According to him, rail freight has become one of the most important parts of Belt and Road cooperation over the past decade by strengthening trade links and transportation connectivity across Eurasia.

He said the railway network now carries more than 50,000 varieties of goods across 53 product categories. The total value of cargo transported by these services continues to account for a growing share of trade between China and Europe.

Faster Delivery Makes Rail More Attractive

China-Europe rail freight has also become a preferred transport option for shipments that require quicker delivery.

Last month, Europe experienced an intense heat wave that significantly increased demand for air-conditioners. In response, many Chinese manufacturers shifted replenishment shipments from sea transport to rail freight. This reduced delivery time from around 40 days by sea to approximately 15 days by rail, allowing products to reach European markets much faster.

Railway Operator to Improve Efficiency and Services

Wu Zhaoxin, Head of Freight Transportation at China State Railway Group Co, said the railway operator will continue working closely with railway authorities along international routes to improve operational efficiency, pricing, service quality and innovation.

Wu said future priorities include expanding scheduled freight services, improving coordinated pricing, developing new transportation equipment and strengthening cargo security through closer cross-border cooperation and smarter cargo tracking technologies.

New Transport Equipment Introduced

Starting in 2025, China State Railway Group Co introduced new transportation equipment to expand freight options. These include 40-foot containers designed for nonhazardous liquid cargo and larger containers specially developed for transporting vehicles.

The company said these additions will support a wider range of cargo and improve transport flexibility.

China-Europe Freight Service Continues to Grow

Since the China-Europe railway freight express began operating under a unified brand in June 2016, the service has maintained safe and stable operations while becoming one of the flagship projects of the Belt and Road Initiative.

According to NDRC data, the freight network has completed more than 130,000 train trips, transporting goods valued at over $520 billion.

The NDRC also reported that, as of June, train load factors have remained at 100% for 46 consecutive months. Return services are now operating at nearly the same level as outbound services, showing a more balanced flow of trade between China and Europe.

Chengdu Rail Freight Records Strong Growth

Data released by Chengdu Customs showed that China-Europe freight trains operating to and from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, transported 922,000 metric tons of import and export cargo during the first half of 2026.

This represented a 17.9% year-on-year increase.

The services included cross-border e-commerce trains and cold-chain freight trains. High-tech products, including photovoltaic modules, have become major export items, highlighting the growing share of advanced manufacturing products compared with traditional labour-intensive goods.

Shenyang Launches Dedicated Elevator Export Service

In late June, two China-Europe freight trains departed from Shenyang in Liaoning province carrying 110 containers loaded with 260 elevators.

The departure marked the launch of the city's first dedicated railway service for exporting domestically manufactured elevators to European markets.

#Asia News #China #Global Updates #World News