Chinese railways gear up for upcoming Singles Day deliveries

China’s railway department will kick off a new service to speed up goods delivery to satisfy the growing demand for logistics services during the upcoming Singles Day online shopping frenzy.

From November 11 to 20, the railway department will provide “storage to storage” service to e-commerce businesses and express delivery companies, said an official with China Railway Corp (CRC) on Monday.

The “Fuxing” bullet train running on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway will provide a fast service this year, able to deliver goods to customers in 10 hours. The bullet train, which travels at 350 kilometers per hour, can reach Shanghai from Beijing in 4.5 hours.

In addition, a bullet train on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang railway in northwest China will form a long-term partnership with e-commerce and delivery companies to transport goods, CRC said.

High-speed rail, the most reliable vehicle for goods delivery, is becoming a favored choice for business owners and logistics companies.

During last year’s online shopping spree, bullet trains played a key role in express delivery services, stopping at 505 cities along the high-speed lines.

CRC regards transportation service during peak delivery times as an important way to promote supply-side structural reform and a market-oriented approach to improve its railway services.