Railway Transportation

CONNECTING EAST TO WEST

China has developed a rail service in an effort to strengthen trade between China and Europe, with the original emphasis on the well-known trade route from the Silk Road, although many more origins are being added all the time. This can potentially provide a more environmentally friendly rail freight solution for containerised or groupage logistical requirements.

The approximate transit time to complete the rail journey from China to mainland Europe is currently two weeks. Sea freight can often take over a month and air freight, whilst faster, is a more expensive, option. This positions the freight train as a happy medium between the two. However, as great as this option sounds, we’re not entirely convinced that it’s going to prove as easily accessible as its alternatives such as our sea-air logistics service.

Although in principle this new service has potential, there are some drawbacks currently. Whilst it is one continuous route, there are different rail gauges in different countries. There is no single train that can run along the whole route, which means containers have to be reloaded at various stages throughout their passage. Why not try railway for your next transportation then ?