In a pioneering move to improve logistics efficiency across China, a high-speed freight train service has been launched between Chongqing in the southwest and Zhengzhou in central China's Henan province. The daily service, which is part of a pilot program that began on 15 January, uses the Zhengzhou-Chongqing high-speed railway line, which has been reserved for passenger trains since its inauguration in 2022.
The service, operated by China Railway Express, involves trains DJ5811 and DJ5812 traveling in opposite directions between the two cities. Each train is capable of transporting up to 15 tonnes of cargo over a distance of 1,028 kilometers in less than five hours, positioning the service as a competitive alternative to air and road transport. Cargo will focus on fresh food, biopharmaceuticals, business correspondence, and electronic products.
The initiative is an important step towards closer integration of key economic regions. The Henan, Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, and the Yangtze River Economic Belt are now better-connected thanks to this high-speed link. Fan Qiang of Chongqing Logistics Group highlighted plans to expand express services along the China-Europe freight train routes and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, aiming to better integrate Chongqing's manufacturing sector with high-speed rail logistics.
Efforts are underway to establish Chongqing as a major national hub for high-speed rail freight, with expansions planned to connect with major economic zones across China. This development will strengthen Chongqing's role as an international logistics hub and a strategic hub for national development initiatives in the western regions.
