Wedoany.com Report-Apr. 14, In the first quarter of 2025, China’s rail freight sector saw significant growth, especially in cross-border logistics. Freight trains to Central Asia increased by 25.5% year-on-year, reaching 3,582 trips, while cargo volume on the China-Laos Railway rose 10% to 1.513 million tons, boosting international trade, according to China Railway.
A China-Europe train loaded with containers prepares to leave a logistics cooperation base in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu Province on April 10, 2025. In the first quarter, a total of 250 China-Europe trains operated, carrying 10,250 standard containers of goods, a year-on-year increase of 7.4 percent, achieving a "good start" to the year.
The China-Laos Railway also expanded its passenger services. On April 12, 2025, the international passenger route from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, to Luang Prabang, Laos, was extended to include Puer Station in Yunnan and a new stop at Nateuy, Laos, increasing the total stops to eight, Xinhua News Agency reported. Launched on April 13, 2024, this service supports same-day round trips and has carried 220,000 passengers, including 81,000 cross-border travelers, over the past year.
This railway facilitates the transport of goods like perishables and industrial products while strengthening regional ties. Sun Zhang, a railway expert at Shanghai Tongji University, told the Global Times: “The mixed-use railway not only facilitates the transport of goods but also enhances regional connectivity, with significant potential to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Europe.”
The China-Europe Railway Express, part of this network, connects China to Europe via Central Asia, supporting trade growth and enhancing China’s role in global markets, particularly with Southeast Asia. Sun added: “The railway has proven to be a successful model, boosting both tourism and trade.”
On April 11, 2025, Wuhan, Hubei Province, launched its first regular freight train, X9011, to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, marking the start of scheduled Central Asia services from the city. The train, carrying 1,640 tons of goods like steel coils, tiles, and air conditioning units, is set to arrive in 10 days, per a government report. Zhang Peng, a deputy general manager at an international transport company under the Hubei Railway Group, stated: “Products manufactured in Hubei, including complete vehicles, vehicle parts, optoelectronic devices, and agricultural products, are highly popular in Central Asian markets.”
The Horgos railway port in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reported robust growth, handling 2,375 China-Europe and Central Asia freight trains in the first quarter, a 28.5% increase year-on-year. Cargo volume reached 3.336 million tons, up 26%, setting a new record, according to China Media Group. By March 2025, the port had processed over 44,500 trains, operating 87 routes to 18 countries and 46 cities.
Domestically, China’s railway network transported 970 million tons of cargo in the first quarter, a 3.1% rise year-on-year. This growth supports the efficient movement of goods, contributing to both domestic and international trade, China Railway noted.
