(ECNS) -- A surge in European demand for air conditioners amid a record-breaking heat wave has prompted Chinese manufacturers to switch their supply routes from sea to the China-Europe Railway Express, cutting delivery times from 40 days to around 15 days.
The X8151 China-Europe freight train bound for Duisburg, Germany, is waiting for departure at Xi'an International Port Station on July 16, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)
Liang Linchong, director-general of the Department of Opening-up at the National Development and Reform Commission, cited the shift at a news conference as an example of how the China-Europe Railway Express is improving trade efficiency.
Liang said the railway network now operates 96 routes reaching 236 cities across 26 European countries. Freight volume on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, a southern corridor, jumped more than 90% year over year in the first half of the year.
Cities such as Chongqing, Chengdu and Zhengzhou in central and western China have emerged as leaders in opening-up, Liang said. In Europe, Poland's Malaszewicze has become a key logistics hub, while Germany's Duisburg has grown into one of the continent's major freight centers.
(By Helen Mo, intern Li Chengzhan)
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