Shijiazhuang's China-Europe freight trains surpass last year's total by October

A China-Europe freight train pulls out of the Shijiazhuang International Inland Port in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, earlier this month. [Photo by Yu Chenjun/For chinadialy.com.cn]

The number of China-Europe freight train trips handled by the Shijiazhuang International Inland Port in Hebei province has reached a new high this year, highlighting its growing role as a key logistics hub for cross-border trade.

As of Oct 16, the port had managed 866 train trips, surpassing the 839 recorded in 2024, according to port authorities. On average, three to four freight trains depart or arrive at the inland port each day.

Liu Jinpeng, general manager of the port, said the surge reflects strong demand for cross-border trade and ongoing improvements in logistics services. New service models, such as consolidated shipping for mixed goods and improved transport coordination, have significantly boosted efficiency.

So far this year, the trains have transported over 89,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods, with a total value close to 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), he said.

Exports now include higher-value products, such as machinery, auto parts, and photovoltaic modules from Hebei. Meanwhile, imports like timber and fertilizer from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative are efficiently reaching the Chinese market via the port.