On October 16 at 5:58 PM, a noteworthy event took place as a cargo train, designated X9684, departed from the Pinghu North Station in Shenzhen. This train is significant as it marks the first international freight service using a new multimodal transport model—combining rail and road transport—between China and Central Asia, specifically through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The train was loaded with stainless steel products, ceramics, air conditioning units, and more.
On October 17, we learned from the Guangzhou Railway Group that this train is set to reach Kashgar Station in Xinjiang after a journey lasting 96 hours. From there, the goods will be transported by truck to the Irkeshtam Highway Port in Xinjiang, then they will cross the border into Kyrgyzstan before finally reaching their destination in Uzbekistan. The newly optimized multimodal transport model significantly reduces transit time by about 25% compared to traditional methods.
Thanks to strong support from the National Railway Group and the General Administration of Customs, the Guangzhou Railway Group has responded to market demand by launching a comprehensive logistics product for multimodal export transport. This initiative aims to further enhance logistics organization and streamline customs supervision, ensuring a seamless process for the entire shipping journey. Notably, the international multimodal transport feature on the Railway 95306 platform has been launched concurrently.
The successful organization of this cargo service involved collaboration between the Guangzhou branch of China Railway Container Transport Company and China Foreign Trade Development Co., Ltd. in Shenzhen, which played pivotal roles in sourcing logistics and testing customs clearance data.
Compared to traditional multimodal transport export models, this new service offers greater efficiency, convenience, and lower logistics costs. It also addresses gaps for regions lacking railway ports and reduces dependency on limited international rail capacities, ultimately paving the way for the expansion of international logistics channels.
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