China-Europe Freight Trains Play Pivotal Role in Pandemic-Era Land Transport

Published September 20, 2020 · Sino-Euro Railway · Updated October 8, 2026

Historical industry report for the period stated below. Network activity and operator announcements are not company shipment totals or confirmation of a currently bookable service. Ask us to confirm the operator, product, cargo acceptance, departure and quote for your shipment.

While the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted international air and sea transport, China-Europe freight trains became a lifeline for land transport between the two continents. By the end of July 2020 they had delivered 39,000 tonnes of epidemic-prevention supplies, and in August 2020 the service set a record of 1,247 trains in a single month, up 62% year on year.

The China-Europe freight train service was first launched in 2011 in the southwestern Chinese metropolis of Chongqing. In 2020 it ran more frequently than ever, keeping trade and the transport of epidemic-prevention materials flowing in both directions.

The record-breaking August 2020 performance included 113,000 TEU of goods, an increase of 66% year on year, according to data from China State Railway Group. The rising number of trains, new routes and growing volumes underscored the network's pivotal role.

Outbound trains carried daily necessities, equipment, medical supplies and vehicles, while inbound trains brought milk powder, wine and automobile parts to China — a two-way flow that supported international COVID-19 control efforts and kept supply chains moving.