According to reports from the China News Service on October 21, the “China Railway” official WeChat account has revealed that from January to September this year, the China-Europe Railway Express has operated a total of 14,689 trains, transporting 1.571 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of cargo. These figures represent year-on-year increases of 13% and 11%, respectively. In September alone, 1,633 trains were dispatched, carrying 171,000 TEUs, reflecting growth rates of 15% and 12% compared to the same month last year. Notably, the number of monthly train departures has surpassed 1,600 for seven consecutive months this year.

This year, the China National Railway Group has actively leveraged international and domestic coordination mechanisms to promote the high-quality development of the China-Europe Railway Express.

Firstly, the focus has been on enhancing the infrastructure of the rail corridors. Efforts are underway to upgrade major domestic ports and back-end passages significantly, resulting in a substantial increase in the transport capacity along the West, Central, and East main corridors. The organization has also coordinated with railway ports in neighboring countries to reduce processing times and improve efficiency. Notably, the establishment of a regular operational framework for the railway corridor across the Caspian Sea has enabled connections to 25 countries and 226 cities in Europe.

Secondly, enhancing the quality of operations for the China-Europe Railway Express has been a priority. The organization has expanded the service schedule for the rail routes while strengthening cargo sourcing to ensure timely deliveries—a move that has garnered positive feedback from clients. In response to market demands, customized train services have been introduced to provide diverse transport solutions, thereby promoting more “Made in China” products to international markets. Additionally, improvements have been made to the online systems, enhancing customer experience through the digital port system and the express’s official portal.

Thirdly, maintaining safe and efficient operations has been a key focus. The organization has optimized train service coordination by effectively utilizing route, equipment, and station resources, ensuring monitoring throughout the journey. The integration with the Western Land-Sea New Corridor and the China-Laos Railway has been secured to support stable international supply chains. Stringent measures for cargo loading, securing, and safety checks have been implemented to guarantee safe and stable operations of the railway express.

The increase in both quantity and quality of the China-Europe Railway Express operations reflects a positive trend in China’s foreign trade. Looking forward, the National Railway Group plans to continue prioritizing high-quality service in the Belt and Road Initiative, enhancing the organization of international freight transport, and further improving the efficiency and quality of the China-Europe Railway Express. This effort aims to strengthen economic and trade exchanges between China and Europe and support the nation’s high-level openness to the outside world.