The total volume of global rail container shipping exceeded 153 million TEUs in 2025. China leads this segment with 41.88 million TEUs, followed by India and the United States.
The China—Europe Railway Express (CERE) segment of international container shipping occupies a special place in the structure of global rail container shipping. A key element of the Belt and Road initiative, this route not only connects China’s largest manufacturing centers with key European markets but also serves as an indicator of the effectiveness of the entire Eurasian logistics system.
The growth dynamics of this route confirm its sustainability and growing maturity. According to data published by China Railway and analyzed by the industry resource New Silkroad Discovery, by the end of 2025, 20,022 trains operated on the China—Europe route, a 3.2% increase compared to the previous year. The total volume of freight transported amounted to over 2.05 million TEUs. These statistics include all container trains operating along the East—West Eurasian corridor, including those terminating in Russia, Belarus, and Central Asia.
A key structural characteristic of 2025 was the shift in the balance between export and import flows: of the total number of shipments, 9,898 were trains from China to Europe, and 10,124 were from Europe to China. The ratio of export to import trips reached 0.977:1, indicating the formation of a balanced two-way freight flow. By comparison, from 2022 to 2024, this ratio consistently exceeded 1.14, favoring exports from China.
The geographic structure of shipments also changed. Xian retained its leadership position, accounting for 3,914 shipments. However, Zhengzhou demonstrated the most dynamic growth, rising from fourth to second place due to a 40.7% increase in the number of direct trains. Together, Xian, Zhengzhou, Chengdu, and Chongqing form a stable ‘first tier’ of key transport and logistics hubs (consolidation centers). The ‘second tier’ (500–1000 trains) includes eight cities, among which Jinhua stands out, having increased its shipment volume by 58.4%.
CRCT is also a major player in the rail container shipping market. According to the company, the volume of container shipping reached 9.025 million TEU (21.7% of total container shipping). This data correlates with an analysis by Qianzhan agency, according to which CRCT controls 21.55% of the market. The next largest operators, Tielong Logistics and Daqin Railway, account for 4.89% and 2.87%, respectively. Sinotrans’s share is 1.02%. Meanwhile, all other participants, including regional platforms, account for almost 70% of the market.
