In June 2026, Europe experienced a record breaking heatwave, with temperatures in some areas exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, and the demand for air conditioning cooling suddenly exploded. Manufacturers such as Midea and Gree have switched their replenishment channels from sea freight to China Europe freight trains, reducing the transportation cycle from 40 days to around 15 days. Chinese air conditioners have been quickly placed on European shelves.

This cross-border replenishment is just a slice of the high-quality development of the China Europe freight train over the past decade.

On July 28, 2026, the National Development and Reform Commission held a special press conference on the China Europe freight train. Liang Linchong, Director of the Openness Department, summarized the quality of this steel camel caravan in a positive, upward, optimal, and practical manner. As of now, the China Europe freight train has operated more than 130000 trains, transported goods worth over 520 billion US dollars, laid 96 operating routes, and reached 236 cities in 26 European countries. The goods cover more than 50000 varieties of 53 major categories, and the heavy container rate has remained 100% for 46 consecutive months.

More stable channel

When sea transportation is blocked, land transportation takes on the heavy responsibility. The China Europe freight train has a wide network coverage, accurate delivery time, and is less affected by external weather and port congestion. Whenever the operation of the Asia Europe shipping route is blocked and the international supply chain is impacted, it has become the first choice for domestic and foreign enterprises to cope with channel crises. In recent years, the train has successfully opened up new routes for international transportation across the Caspian Sea, entering Europe via Türkiye, and arriving in Germany via St. Petersburg Port in Russia. The diversified pattern of the three parallel lines of north, middle and south has enabled enterprises to hold several more channel cards.

Cost-effective

The National Development and Reform Commission, together with the customs and railway departments, will promote digital ports and railway rapid transit, and increase the capacity expansion and renovation of ports and rear channels. Efficiency has improved, and the ledger has become lighter: Longi Green Energy Photovoltaic products arrive in Europe in 15 days by train, which is more than 20 days less than sea freight, and the capital turnover rate has increased by 30%; Jiangxi Ganzhou wood import enterprises borrowed trains to purchase from Europe, reducing transportation time by nearly 70% and overall logistics costs by 18%. For small and medium-sized enterprises, what is saved is not shipping costs, but survival space.

Industry clustering

Channels become hubs, hubs drive industries. BOE and Konka are gathering at the China Europe freight train assembly center, accelerating the formation of electronic information, equipment manufacturing, new energy, and cross-border e-commerce clusters in Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Zhengzhou; Lenovo and Dell borrow trains to build an efficient and low-cost global production and distribution system, which is more deeply embedded in international division of labor. Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhengzhou and other inland cities have transformed from open backs to forwards, while Duisburg in Germany and Malaszewicz in Poland have also become logistics hubs in Europe due to their train schedules. The advantages of transportation channels are gradually transforming into industrial and development advantages.

Next, the National Development and Reform Commission will work with the General Administration of Customs and China Railway Group to enhance the customized service capacity of the whole chain, promote the channel advantages to further transform into industrial advantages, and add weight to the high-quality co construction of the the Belt and Road and the stability of the international industrial chain supply chain.Editor/Yang Meiling