On the evening of September 1, 2026, the wide gauge yard at the Alashankou Railway Port was brightly lit, and a China Europe freight train loaded with mechanical and electrical equipment, new energy components, and daily necessities completed all customs clearance procedures, sounding its horn and heading to Malaszewicz, Poland.

As the wheels roll over the border, the China Europe Central Asia freight train, supervised by Alashankou Customs, officially exceeds 6000 trains in 2026, hitting the line 41 days earlier than in 2025. This westward opening hub standing at the foot of the Alatau Mountains is redefining the operational efficiency of Asia Europe cross-border logistics with continuously updated traffic data. In addition, in July, the accumulated traffic volume of trains at Alataw Pass and Khorgos double ports took the lead in breaking the industry record of 10000 trains, and the cross-border logistics efficiency of Alataw Pass as a core hub to the west continued to accelerate.

As of the end of August 2026, the cumulative number of trains passing through the Alashankou Railway Port has exceeded 58000. The port's supervised freight volume for the whole year of 2025 reached 29.8129 million tons, and the import and export freight volume for the first quarter of 2026 has reached 8.246 million tons. The resilience of the channel operation continues to be highlighted.

The intelligent clearance system unleashes the potential for passage

In order to adapt to the rapid increase in the frequency of train operation, Alashankou Customs continues to deepen the reform of the smart railway port and local fast customs clearance mode, comprehensively implementing convenient measures such as appointment clearance and manifest consolidation. Relying on intelligent machine inspection and intelligent drawing review technology, the inspection efficiency of a single train has been improved by 70% compared to the traditional mode, achieving instant inspection and release of trains upon arrival.

The port has set up a dedicated post for train clearance and opened a 24-hour service hotline. In the first 7 months, a total of 108 clearance related issues have been coordinated and resolved for enterprises, and the total clearance process time has been further reduced by 15% compared to 2025. Local foreign trade freight forwarding companies have reported that the number of freight trains they represent will increase by 20% year-on-year in 2026, and the stable and efficient customs clearance pace will significantly reduce the time and logistics costs of cross-border transportation.

The westward hub radiation network continues to expand

As the only national first-class port in China that integrates railways, highways, and oil pipelines, the Alashankou Railway Port has currently operated 129 stable train lines, connecting 21 countries including Germany and Poland, and carrying more than 200 categories of high value-added goods such as automotive parts, new energy components, and electronic products. Since 2026, the port has added three customized train routes to southern Central Asia, and the proportion of new energy related goods has increased by 12 percentage points year-on-year. Keywords: Alashankou Railway Port, Cross border Trains

Looking back at the new node of 6000 trains throughout the year, Alashankou is no longer just a simple border crossing channel. The continuous upgrading of the intelligent customs clearance system and the continuous extension of the westward route network, combined with the capacity dividend released by the expansion project of the Jing-A Second Line, make this a core logistics hub connecting the manufacturing base in western China with the Asian and European markets.Editor/Cheng Liting