A new fixed-schedule freight train service began on Nov. 30 between China’s Chongqing Municipality (about 1,760 km southwest of Beijing) and Budapest, Hungary, reported Xinhua news agency.
The China-Europe service, also known as the China Railway express, carried a variety of consumer goods, including automotive and motorcycle parts, and electronic projects. It is expected to take about 11 days to reach Budapest (about 7,476 km), which is a major transport hub between Central and Eastern Europe. “The train will exit China via the Alataw Pass in its northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and travel through countries including Kazakhstan, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, before arriving in Hungary,” noted Xinhua. This is the second such fixed-schedule China-Europe freight train service, with the first being a Chongqing-Duisberg, Germany line.
Fixed-scheduled freight shipping is important because it improves efficiency, reduces costs, and boosts customer satisfaction through reliability and predictability. It allows businesses to optimize logistics, better manage resources, and maintain consistent delivery times.
“Data released by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. earlier this week showed that China-Europe freight trains had made a cumulative 120,000 trips and transported goods worth more than 490 billion U.S. dollars.
“As a flagship project and a landmark brand of the Belt and Road Initiative, the China Railway Express has established a comprehensive logistics network across Eurasia—now reaching 232 cities in 26 European countries and more than 100 cities in 11 Asian countries, “ concluded Xinhua.
