China-Europe freight trains boost exports for Guangdong

A freight train departs from Shilong Railway Station in Dongguan, which is operated by CRGG. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com] 

Stations operated by China Railway Guangzhou Group (CRGG) serviced a total of 363 China-Europe freight trains in 2017, an increase of 315 percent from last year, according to recent statistics released by CRGG.

Owing to new innovations in railway construction, the speed of China-Europe freight trains has increased twofold to 80 kilometers per hour. Moreover, CRGG strives to remove red tape and unnecessary restrictions on exports and has even established offices for customs and railway departments to help solve problems encountered by import and export companies.

Currently, CRGG operates 12 rail lines to Europe and three return routes. The shipping time for the freight trains takes 11 to 20 days, one third of that by sea.

The China-Europe freight trains have created many business opportunities for cross-border e-commerce as European businessmen choose to make online purchases from Chinese companies who then ship their products to clients via China-Europe freight trains.

In 2017, an additional 200 freight trains were put into service by CRGG, up 85 percent from 2016. The China-Europe freight trains have helped Guangdong to boost international trade, with an eight percent increase in total import and export volume in 2017.