In late October 2026, the latest operational data for railway coal transportation in Xinjiang was released, and the Xinjiang coal export channel continued to operate at a high level, further unleashing the efficiency of the western transportation artery that ensures national energy supply.

The coal export channel maintains high-level operation

Currently, there are 139 coal trains running daily on the Xinjiang railway, of which 87 directly go to destinations outside of Xinjiang. The daily coal transportation volume outside of Xinjiang has remained stable at over 300000 tons, and the transportation order of the entire line is stable and efficient. From the perspective of transportation capacity structure, the proportion of trains operating outside Xinjiang exceeds 60%, and the proportion of long-distance direct trains continues to increase. The transportation turnover efficiency has increased by 12% compared to the same period last year.

As of October 22, 2026, the total amount of coal exported from Xinjiang for the whole year of 2026 has reached 84.89 million tons, with a completion rate of over 77% from the target of 110 million tons for the whole year of 2026. According to the current transportation pace, the total amount of coal exported from Xinjiang in 2026 is expected to reach a historic high, far exceeding the actual annual completion of 92 million tons in 2025.

The supporting role of energy supply guarantee in the western region continues to strengthen

As an important coal production base in China, Xinjiang has abundant coal resources and good mining conditions, and has long played an important role in supplementing the national coal supply and demand gap. In recent years, with the expansion and renovation of lines such as the Nao Railway by the Lanxin Railway, the capacity of the main channel for transporting coal from Xinjiang has been greatly improved, forming a multi-path and multi station railway network for external transportation. Keywords: Xinjiang coal transportation, railway freight transportation

In the first three quarters of 2026, the national cross regional coal railway transportation volume is about 1.23 billion tons, of which the proportion of Xinjiang coal transportation is close to 7%, effectively filling the gap in coal supply in the central and eastern regions. Entering the critical stage of peak winter season, the Xinjiang railway department will further optimize the train operation schedule, tap into the surplus capacity of the lines, ensure smooth transportation connection between the coal producing areas and the central and eastern consumer ends, and provide solid western transportation support for the national electricity peak winter season and energy security and stable supply.Editor/Cheng Liting