China-Europe Railway Express Tops 130,000 Trips and $520 Billion in Goods

The China-Europe Railway Express has surpassed 130,000 total train trips, carrying cargo valued at over $520 billion since its inception. Speaking at a press conference on July 28, 2026, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) official Liang Linchong reported that annual train volumes expanded from 1,702 in 2016 to 20,022 in 2025. Supported by local operational refinements—such as merging state-owned and private freight platforms in Zhejiang—the rail network has evolved from simple point-to-point transit into an integrated logistics system servicing over 50,000 product categories across Asia and Europe.

Surpassing 130,000 train trips and $520 billion in freight value indicates that the Eurasian overland trade corridor has entered a mature operational phase characterized by scale and marketization. Amid heightened maritime volatility and geopolitical stress along ocean trade routes, the overland railway network offers global supply chains a key contingency option for time-sensitive cargo.

The China-Europe Railway Express has officially recorded over 130,000 cumulative train trips, delivering total freight value exceeding $520 billion. Speaking at a dedicated press conference on July 28, 2026, Liang Linchong, Director of the Department of Open Economy at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), detailed the expansion of the transcontinental logistics network, framing it as a critical pillar of overland trade. According to NDRC figures, the network's annual operational volume expanded from 1,702 trips in 2016 to 20,022 trips in 2025, reflecting an average annual growth rate exceeding 30%. Operating efficiency has also improved over time. As of June 2026, the overall loaded container rate maintained a 100% record for 46 consecutive months. Under full-schedule freight operations, transit times on major routes have decreased significantly; for example, journey times between Xi'an and Duisburg were reduced from 15 days to as fast as 11 days. Globally, China has signed nine intergovernmental cooperation documents with partner nations to support the network, while its official multi-language portal has recorded over 60 million visits. Regional hubs have played a central role in driving volume and cost efficiency. Ye Jianjun, an official from the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission, highlighted the structural integration of freight platforms in Jinhua and Yiwu. By combining the resource scale of state-owned entities with the operational flexibility of private enterprises, the unified regional platform generated over 60 million yuan ($8.3 million) in cost savings in 2025. Zhejiang's freight operations currently encompass 27 active routes serving more than 100 overseas destinations, supported by four primary international distribution hubs in Duisburg, Almaty, Tashkent, and Moscow. Goods originating from the Yangtze River Delta region account for 86% of the total cargo value handled by Zhejiang's lines, transporting over 50,000 item types—including tailored shipments for manufacturers such as Geely alongside specialized runs for photovoltaics and hardware. Looking ahead, the NDRC plans to reinforce the network through targeted upgrades across transport efficiency, security governance, corridor diversification, and service innovation to consolidate its market resilience.