photo: https://www.beltandroad.news/2020/07/07/severe-backlog-in-europe-bound-trains-at-chinese-border//Loading of the train
In 2020, 927 000 containers were transported by rail on the route between China and Europe, and 10 000 trains conquered the route. China Railways' year-on-year traffic increased by 98,3 %.
One of the leading carriers on this route, UTLC ERA delivered more than 600 container trains in October this year. The average monthly number for the previous 6 months was about 500 trains per month.
In April 2020, for the first time, there was a sharp increase in train orders, doubling the previous orders. At that time, the volume of transported containers reached 41.2 TEU. This increase may be related to the fact that Russian Railways, DB and UTLC ERA have launched a trial operation of intermodal transport through the port of Kaliningrad.
Large volumes of transport are confirmed by the UTLC ERA operator. "We have transported 430,000 TEUs since the beginning of the year. By the end of this year, we want to reach the important 500,000 TEU mark. This is a difficult but achievable goal," UTLC ERA CEO Alexey Grom told the media.
UTLC ERA offers clients its services on a 1250 mm wide gauge track in the Trans-Eurasian corridor. It connects Asia and Europe. The railway runs through Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Trains manage to overcome this route in less than 5 days.
What goods are transported the most? Plastics, textiles, but also optics, medical equipment and cosmetics. Wood, fruits, vegetables, medical supplies and other foods, on the other hand, are imported to China.
Intermodal rail transport is ideal in this respect, as it saves costs when air transport prices are still rising. Rail transport prices, on the other hand, are stable. In addition, the railway is much more environmentally friendly than other means of transport.