In the first quarter, 5,460 China-Europe freight train services were operated, transporting 546,000 TEUs of cargo.

　　China News Service, April 16th – According to the official WeChat account of China Railway, in the first quarter of this year, the railway department continued to deepen domestic and international coordination and cooperation, strengthened the organization of China-Europe freight train transportation, and improved the quality and efficiency of cross-border logistics services. A total of 5,460 China-Europe freight trains were operated, transporting 546,000 TEUs of goods, representing year-on-year increases of 29% and 22%, respectively. This demonstrates a positive trend of simultaneous growth in quantity and quality, with the market competitiveness of the China-Europe freight train international logistics brand continuously improving, injecting new vitality into China-Europe trade exchanges and the economic and social development along the route.

　　First, the corridor network is gradually expanding. Domestically, 93 scheduled routes for China-Europe freight trains have been arranged, actively expanding diversified overseas corridors, strengthening the organization of China-Europe freight train transportation across the Caspian Sea, and testing the operation of routes crossing the Baltic Sea via Saint Petersburg, Russia, to provide customers with diverse cross-border logistics options. Currently, China-Europe freight trains reach 235 cities in 26 European countries, with the service scope essentially covering the entire Eurasian region.

　　Second, customs clearance efficiency continues to improve. Port transportation organization has been optimized, enhancing train handover capacity. Close collaboration with customs departments has led to the comprehensive promotion of the "Railway Express" model, leveraging the China Railway Logistics 95306 "Digital Port" system to continuously improve customs clearance facilitation. The shortest customs clearance time at ports has been reduced to within 30 minutes. In the first quarter, the operation volume of China-Europe freight trains on the three corridors—West (via Alashankou and Khorgos ports), Central (via Erlianhot port), and East (via Manzhouli, Suifenhe, and Tongjiang North ports)—increased by 19%, 26%, and 49% year-on-year, respectively.

　　Third, logistics products are continuously optimized. Each week, 22 China-Europe freight trains operate with full schedules for both domestic and international segments, covering 9 cities in China and 6 cities in Europe. The total operation time is reduced by over 30% compared to regular China-Europe freight trains on the same routes, with the average value of goods per container increasing by 41%, gaining widespread favor in the international logistics market. International rail-road intermodal products based on railway multimodal transport bills have been developed and applied, suitable for full-process logistics between China and neighboring countries without railway ports, as well as cross-border multimodal transport businesses using the "railway freight train + road connection" combination model. Railway logistics enterprises act as full-process operators, enabling seamless transactions, flexible customs clearance modes, more reliable transportation efficiency, and traceable full-process information, providing safe, reliable, stable, and efficient new options for cross-border logistics.

　　Fourth, service quality is steadily improving. The development and promotion of electronic seals enable full tracking and tamper alarm for goods transported by China-Europe freight trains. The application of specialized equipment such as 40-foot container liquid bags, car containers, and lithium battery containers has been expanded, effectively broadening the range of goods. Overseas railway container return depots have been expanded to 17 countries, covering most overseas node cities, making it convenient for customers to use and return containers. The functionality of the China-Europe freight train portal website has been continuously optimized, creating a one-stop service window to provide customers with efficient and convenient full-process online services.

　　Fifth, the China-Europe freight train high-quality development index has been released. On April 10th, the 10th plenary meeting of the China-Europe Freight Train Transportation Coordination Committee released the China-Europe freight train high-quality development index. This index was researched and compiled by the Transportation Economics Research Institute of the China Academy of Railway Sciences and is published monthly on the China-Europe freight train portal website. It consists of four sub-indices: quantity scale, operational quality, port accessibility, and cargo quality, with 100 points as the starting point. Higher values indicate better overall development trends of China-Europe freight trains. The index scientifically reflects the overall operational status and direction of China-Europe freight trains, helping all participants dynamically understand the latest coverage, transportation efficiency, port capacity, and safety levels, effectively guiding the safe, stable, healthy, and orderly development of China-Europe freight trains.

　　Next, the China State Railway Group will focus on serving the high-quality construction of the "Belt and Road Initiative," fully leveraging domestic and international coordination mechanisms, continuously improving transportation capacity, strengthening the construction of diversified corridors, and effectively enhancing service quality. The group aims to promote the development of China-Europe freight trains toward higher quality, better efficiency, and greater safety, providing safe, high-quality, and efficient international logistics services for domestic and overseas customers, better serving China-Europe trade exchanges and China's high-level opening-up.