Guangzhou intermodal hub sees nearly 30% growth in international trains

(ECNS) -- The Guangzhou Eastern Public-Rail Intermodal Hub (Zengcheng West Station) operated 231 international freight trains in the first half of this year, transporting over 22,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of cargo valued at 6.27 billion yuan (about $873 million), Huangpu Customs said Monday.

Train departures, cargo volume and value rose 29.1%, 35.1% and 31.1% year‑on‑year, ranking first in Guangdong Province. The hub, the largest national logistics center in the Greater Bay Area, now connects 34 cities in 17 countries across Europe, Central Asia and ASEAN.

High-value-added products, including household appliances, hardware tools, automobiles and auto parts, accounted for 44% of the total cargo value in the first half. Among electrical appliance exports, leading Chinese brands including Midea, Hisense, TCL and Galanz together accounted for over 60%.

The "China‑Europe freight train plus cross‑border e‑commerce" model has gained traction, offering shipping times one‑third that of sea freight and costs one‑fifth that of air freight. In the first half, over 10,000 TEUs of e‑commerce cargo were shipped, nearly half of all international train volume.

(By Tang Yuxian)