China Europe Railway Transport Service

China Europe Railway Transport Service

1. General information:

➤ Rail transport is the most dynamically developing branch of logistics. Also, this transport is an ideal alternative to expensive air transport and shipping of goods by sea, which often takes more than 40 days. The rail freight from China to Europe was launched based on the idea of the Silk Road.

➤ Rail freight from China to Europe: Centuries ago, China and Europe were connected by the Silk Road, which was led from Xi’an, through Central Asia to Constantinople. Silk, iron, and paper were mostly transported. However, by the later opening of the sea routes, the railway route lost its importance. It is now opening again and becoming very significant in trade relations between Asia and Europe.

➤ Rail transport on the China – Poland route was launched already in 2013. However, the use of this type of transport was not so popular and widespread at the time. At that time, the chairman of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, initiated the New Silk Road.

➤ The idea was created in 2008 when an agreement was signed to simplify the rules of rail transport of goods, etc., SMGS convention.

2. Ai Logistics railway transport service from China-EU:

➤ Types of transport: Rail transport cargoes, similarly to sea transport, are divided into:

• LCL (groupage transport)
• FCL
• It is possible to transport by rail goods from China at a controlled temperature, i.e., the so-called refrigerated transport.

➤ Main terminals for transport between China and Europe:

• Currently, there are more and more railway connections between China and Europe.
• Routes running through Poland connect Antwerp and Duisburg with Chongqing, as well as Hamburg and Zhengzhou.
• Carriages on these routes are usually longer and carry about 250 containers.

➤ Travel time using a rail freight forwarding:

• Trains from China to Poland cover 11,000 km. They run from 7 to 17 days, depending on the initial and destination terminals.
• The train travel time to Germany is extended to about 19 days. A good example is a train running from Shilong to Duisburg. The train stops in Warsaw. The route goes through Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Malaszewicze, Warsaw, and also Hamburg, to Duisburg. The route measures over 13,000 km.
• We can also transport goods by train from China to United Kingdom. For example, train from Yiwu to London needs 18 days.

➤ Transit time and door-to-door delivery

• Transit time can be extended by about two days when using the door-to-door option. To a large extent, this depends on the destination of the load as well as on the final station of the train.
• More and more forwarding companies offer a door-to-door service.

➤ The cost of rail transport:

• Rail transport costs are almost three times lower than those for air transport. The railway route reduces costs by nearly 30%.
• The price for a container is usually from USD 4,900 to 10,000. However, it depends on the transported goods.

3. Main transport routes:

➤➤  Based on data from 2018 regarding the total number of freight trains departing from China to Europe, we present the TOP 5 Chinese cities connected by rail with Europe.

➤ Chengdu: Renowned for advanced technology production, Chengdu, located around 1080 km from the coast, sent over 1,591 trains to Europe in 2019. Main routes include Chengdu-Budapest, -Lodz, -Moscow, -Nuernberg, and -Tilburg. Goods transported encompass food, clothes, appliances, cars, and more.

➤ Chongqing: As one of Chinas separate cities, Chongqing saw 1,442 trains to Europe in 2018. Notably, it links to Cherkessk, Duisburg, and Minsk. Products transported consist of chemicals, food, furniture, vehicles, and more.

➤ Xian: Historically significant as the Silk Road origin, Xian dispatched 1,235 trains to Europe in 2018. Key routes include Xian-Budapest, -Ghent, -Hamburg, -Kouvola, -Milan, and -Warsaw. Mainly, it transports mother and child products, soft drinks, and vitamins.

➤ Zhengzhou: Known for phone manufacturing, Zhengzhou has daily trains to Europe. It connects to Hamburg, Liege, and Munich, transporting textiles, car parts, electronics, and more.

➤ Wuhan: Despite sea access, Wuhan increasingly utilizes rail transport. It sent 423 trains to Europe in 2018, linking to Duisburg, Hamburg, Lodz, and more. Items transported include electronics, clothes, machinery, and medical products.

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