Xinjiang rail ports see over 90,000 China-Europe freight trains

The 90,000th China-Europe freight train processed via Xinjiang's two rail ports prepares to depart from Horgos Station on March 23, 2025. (Photo/Courtesy of China Railway Urumqi Group Co)

A China-Europe freight train loaded with auto components and other goods departed from Horgos Port in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday, heading for Malaszewicze, Poland. With the train, the total number of China-Europe freight trains that had passed through Xinjiang's Horgos and Alashankou ports exceeded 90,000, injecting fresh momentum into high-quality Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, according to China Railway Urumqi Group Co.

To improve the efficiency of China-Europe freight train operations, Xinjiang railway authorities have enhanced scheduling and coordination across key routes, including the Lanzhou-Xinjiang, Jinghe-Horgos and China-Kazakhstan lines. Measures include unified dispatching, optimized timetables, smoother cargo flows and priority handling for cross-border trains - from reloading to departure. Return services have also been expanded, with faster turnover improving the overall performance, according to a statement China Railway Urumqi Group Co sent to the Global Times on Monday.

As part of these efforts, cooperation between Chinese and Kazakh railway authorities has been strengthened to ensure smoother cross-border operations. Chinese and Kazakh railway authorities have enhanced joint coordination at border ports, with on-site teams managing daily schedules. Their efforts led to record broad-gauge train volumes in March, reaching up to 15 pairs per day, according to the statement.

"Daily container swaps in Horgos station have increased from 10 to 15 batches, enabling 'quick swapping and departure,' and the daily number of China-Europe trains now exceeds 23," Li Ankang, deputy director of the safety production command center at China Railway Urumqi Group Co's Horgos station, told the Global Times.

"Since the start of 2025, the station has optimized platform capacity, production resources, and personnel deployment to enhance container-swapping capabilities," Li said.

Li noted that the station has established a dedicated service window for China-Europe trains, enabling customs and border inspections to be completed simultaneously in one stop, cutting 30 minutes from the inspection and release time for each train.

Meanwhile, Urumqi Customs has streamlined clearance for China-Europe freight trains by introducing 24/7 appointment services, tax incentives, and joint inspections with border control. Xinjiang border authorities have also enhanced round-the-clock staffing and tech-driven management to ensure safe and efficient cross-border operations, the statement said.

A total of 123 China-Europe freight train routes operate via the Alashankou Port, reaching 21 countries including Germany and Poland. The Horgos railway port serves 87 routes, connecting to 46 cities and regions across 18 countries, according to the statement.

Official data showed that Xinjiang's two railway ports handled 16,400 China-Europe freight trains in 2024, a 14 percent year-on-year rise, maintaining a five-year streak of more than 10,000 trains per year with consistent four-digit growth in the number of trains. These transcontinental routes have become a vital artery for China's foreign trade, revitalizing Eurasian connectivity through cost-efficient and stable cargo mobility.