A China-Europe freight train loaded with electronic products, mechanical and electrical equipment, and daily necessities departed from the Horgos Railway Port in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for Małaszewicze, Poland, on Saturday, marking the 50,000th train to pass through the port since operations began in March 2016, according to the Global Times.
The Horgos Railway Port, a critical hub on the China-Europe and China-Central Asia railway routes, has seen exponential growth in freight train traffic. The port took 54 months to handle its first 10,000 trips, but the pace has accelerated significantly, with the 50,000th milestone achieved in less than 13 months after reaching 40,000 trips. This year alone, the port has processed over 1,500 trains, a 20 percent increase from last year, with a total freight volume of 4 million tons, up 18 percent, according to Zhang Yunyu, business manager of Xinjiang Zhonglian Haitong International Freight Forwarding Co.
The port now handles an average of 27 trains daily, with a returning train completing transshipment every two hours. The railway facilitates the transport of China-made goods, including consumer products, electronic devices, and agricultural produce, to Central Asian and European markets. Currently, 90 international rail freight routes pass through Horgos, connecting 46 cities and districts across 18 countries.
A significant boost to efficiency came in May with the introduction of the “Smart Railway Port + Local Rapid Customs Clearance” initiative by Horgos Customs. This reform has slashed customs clearance times by approximately 70 percent for imported goods, from two to three days to within 16 hours, and by 80 percent for locally exported goods, from six hours to one hour.
The Horgos Railway Port, located on the China-Kazakhstan border, continues to solidify its role as a vital link in global trade, supporting the growing demand for efficient and reliable freight transport between China, Central Asia, and Europe.///nCa, 13 October 2025