photo: yicaiglobal.com/CR Express Bridges China, Europe and Belt and Road Nations via Rail
The "steel camel fleet," also known as China Railway Express (CR Express), is forging a new trail in international intermodal container train services, bridging China, Europe, and the nations of the Belt and Road Initiative. The CR Express has swiftly gained recognition for its capacity, timeliness, affordability, and overall service. This innovation in logistics, which reaches over 200 cities across more than 20 European nations, is transforming policy communication, trade facilitation, financial connectivity, and people-to-people exchange between China and its Belt and Road partners.
CR Express leverages a three-pronged transport corridor network to connect China and Europe. The west corridor caters to import and export freight from diverse Chinese regions, the middle corridor serves central and north China, while the east corridor extends to the eastern, southern, and northeastern areas. Depending on the corridor, the CR Express integrates with the railway systems of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, or Russia to ensure a seamless connection to various European countries.
Finally, the operational statistics of CR Express are indeed impressive. With a maximum speed of 1,300 kilometers per day, freight reaches Europe in just ten days, outstripping maritime transport by up to a month. In addition, the service operates at only one-fifth the cost of air freight. This sprawling network comprises over 80 routes, servicing 110 Chinese cities and 209 cities across 25 European countries. Behind this success is China Railway Container Transport Corp., Ltd. (CRCT), a subsidiary of China State Railway Group Co., Ltd (CHINA RAILWAY). This unified service platform is staffed by a team of professionals in international logistics, railway transportation, and international trade, ensuring the ongoing success and expansion of the CR Express.