In the summer of 2026, a heatwave continues to sweep across Europe, with a large number of air conditioning orders pouring into home appliance companies in Shandong Province. Overseas customers are urging for delivery: sea freight is too slow, air freight is too expensive, and if you miss the time, you will miss the sales window. The newly produced air conditioner was loaded onto the train, and with the sound of the whistle, the home appliance supply chain special train passed through the port and headed west towards Central Asia and Europe. This is already the norm in Jinan and Qingdao freight yards.

From factory orders to Eurasian shelves, since the coordinated operation of the Shandong China Europe freight train, Shandong Expressway has accelerated the high-quality development of the Shandong China Europe freight train and made every effort to create a new platform for the province's opening up and trade. By the end of September this year, more than 17000 trains had been operated, with 57 international operation lines, which can directly reach 60 cities in 28 countries along the the Belt and Road, making China made and Chinese flavor go global, and bringing overseas good things back to people's homes.

The more woven the channel, the denser it becomes

Continuous optimization of node layout: Within the country, Jinan and Qingdao have been approved as national China Europe freight train assembly centers, Linyi is a node city, and Urumqi has a transit base; Overseas gathering centers have been established in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Ingia, Serbia, Moscow, Russia, and Vientiane, Laos, taking the lead in completing the construction of overseas gathering and distribution systems nationwide, forming a 2+4+N dual circulation network layout, and building a modern international logistics system with channels, hubs, and network coordination. Jiqing flights are mutually recognized, cabin space is shared, and overseas nodes also manage distribution and return cargo sources.

The more the train runs, the more accurate it becomes

Network deployment is more accurate than punctuality. The Jinan Budapest full timetable China Europe freight train has been approved for operation, making it one of the first full timetable trains to arrive in Budapest in China. The total transportation time has been reduced by nearly 30%, providing a fast lane for high value-added products. The railways of various countries agree on train numbers and fixed schedules, operate in three sections, prioritize grouping, hanging, and departure, and enterprises can reverse production and accelerate turnover. Brand routes such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Express and the Japan Korea Land Sea Express have been operating stably, with a cumulative volume of over 5400 trains. The former connects SCO countries, while the latter connects sea freight schedules and train schedules; Qilu train along the Yellow River drives the province to deeply integrate into the construction of the the Belt and Road along Huangcheng City.

The more the service is provided, the more detailed it becomes

Air conditioning can catch up with peak season thanks to meticulous service. In response to the urgent needs of home appliance enterprises to ensure delivery and seize the market, Shandong China Europe Railway Express has launched a dedicated home appliance supply chain train, which provides direct access to overseas distribution warehouses with three priorities: cabin space, grouping, and customs clearance. This further enhances the supply stability and market competitiveness of local home appliance brands in Shandong in markets such as Europe and Central Asia. In addition to hard support, soft services have been upgraded synchronously, and customized precisely for enterprises. We have successively launched special tire trains, chemical trains, and commercial vehicle trains. We have accumulatively launched more than 900 supply chain trains for many key enterprises in Shandong Province, allowing more local manufacturers to join the the Belt and Road Express.

In the future, Shandong Expressway will closely meet the needs of enterprises going global, optimize operation organization, improve service level, expand service chain, smooth international logistics channels, and help Shandong foreign trade enterprises better go global.Editor/Yang Meiling