According to data released on Thursday by China State Railway Group Co., the China-Europe Railway Express carried out 3,501 freight trips in the first two months of this year, transporting 352,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of goods. This represents an increase of 32 and 25 percent year-on-year, respectively.

This sharp increase came as China posted double-digit growth in trade with the EU.

Amid global turmoil, trade between China and the EU surged by 19.9 percent year-on-year to reach 998.94 billion yuan ($144.54 billion), which is faster than the 18.3 percent rise in China’s total foreign trade during the same period. This information was revealed on Tuesday by China’s General Administration of Customs.

Since the beginning of 2026, railway authorities have strengthened coordination and improved the operation of the China-Europe freight train service, optimising scheduling to better align with market demand, according to a statement from China State Railway Group Co. sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

Strong logistics demand has also been noted by freight forwarders, railway bureaus, customs offices and media reports across multiple regions.

At Alashankou Port in northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the number of China-Europe and China-Central Asia freight trains increased by 24.1 per cent year-on-year to reach 1,498 by 5 March, according to the China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group, which was quoted in the Global Times on Thursday.

Sun Chuanwang, a professor at the School of Economics at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the data demonstrates the strong growth achieved by the China-Europe Railway Express at the start of the year, with both quantity and quality improving.

Sun said that this achievement reflects the continued robust demand in markets along the China-Europe route and in Europe, and is strong evidence of the China-Europe Railway Express’s continuously strengthening comprehensive advantages in terms of timeliness, stability and cost.

The expert added that this successful start not only reflects the resilience of the nation’s foreign trade sector directly, but also lays a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative throughout the year. He noted that the China-Europe Railway Express has become one of the preferred channels for international land logistics, showcasing the further integration of China’s foreign trade vitality and the resilience of the global supply chain.

The state railway operator has announced plans to accelerate the development of a high-efficiency transport system, a robust safety management framework, a diverse corridor network and an innovative development strategy for the China-Europe Railway Express.

At a press conference on 13 June 2025, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced that the China-Europe Railway Express now operates in 128 Chinese cities, serving 229 European destinations and over 100 Asian cities.

With freight trains departing on average every 30 minutes or less, the China-Europe Railway Express operates efficiently, stably and smoothly. This not only facilitates economic and trade exchanges between Asia and Europe, but also stimulates growth in BRI participating countries, Lin said.