The Growing Role of China-Europe Railway Express (Xi’an) in China-EU Trade

Rail transport has become increasingly crucial in China-EU trade, with the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi’an) delivering a strong first-quarter performance in 2026, highlighting the resilience of China’s foreign trade exports and the shift of China’s logistics system from scale expansion to value upgrading.

As of March 6, the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi’an) has operated 1,082 trains, averaging over 12 trains per day and ranking first nationwide. The value of return train goods rose 37.2% year-on-year, achieving balanced two-way transportation for the first time. It exceeded 1,000 trains 19 days earlier than last year, with a year-on-year growth rate of over 30%.

Automobile exports have become a core growth driver, with steady increases in shipments of complete vehicles and spare parts to Central Asia and Russia. High value-added goods such as photovoltaic modules, consumer lithium batteries and high-end machinery now account for a growing proportion, supported by Xi’an Railway Bureau’s customized "one enterprise, one plan" services for key foreign trade enterprises.

Notable progress has been made in transport efficiency and network construction: three full-timetable routes to Germany, the Czech Republic and Hungary operate "six departures and three returns" weekly, with 30% higher efficiency; the first 2026 cross-Caspian Sea route shortens transport time to 11 days; and the domestic assembly network, covering major supply sources, reduces return distribution costs by over 10%.

These achievements redefine logistics timelines, elevate the global status of "Made in China", and reflect the restructuring of the logistics value chain and China’s national competitiveness.