The China-Europe Railway Express has cumulatively operated close to 120,000 trains by the end of October 2025, with high-value goods accounting for over 60 percent of China's total exports to Europe.
At the second China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum in Xi'an, provincial capital of Shaanxi in northwest China, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said the rail network now covers almost all of Eurasia and is playing a growing role in China's export mix as manufacturers move up the value chain.
As of the end of October this year, the service has handled 118,600 trains, transporting 11.7 million TEUs of cargo to 26 European countries and 232 cities, as well as more than 100 cities in 11 Asian markets, helping support trade links along the overland routes.
"We are pushing ahead with four key systems (for the China-Europe Railway Express) -- efficient transport, safety governance, diversified corridors and innovation-driven development. We are pushing the transition from point-to-point to hub-to-hub operations, while working with partner countries along the routes to continuously improve customs clearance facilitation, so as to inject new momentum into global economic growth," said Liang Linchong, director-general of the NDRC's Department of Regional Opening-Up.
A 2025 development report released at the forum said the China-Europe Railway Express has continued to expand in both volume and product diversity, now transporting more than 50,000 types of goods spanning over 50 categories.
Automobiles and parts, machinery and electronic products have become the primary outbound items, reflecting rising demand for higher-value Chinese exports. The cumulative value of goods transported reached 426.4 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2024.
At a parallel session on multi-route development, NDRC officials said diversified corridors have become essential to improving operational reliability. They pledged to improve shipping efficiency on southern routes and accelerate mutual recognition of international rules and standards to facilitate faster cross-border movement.
More than 450 delegates from 46 countries and regions attended the forum, which produced 111 cooperation outcomes across policy coordination, corridor expansion, transport cooperation, trade links and financial support.
High-value exports drive China–Europe rail expansion
