Read our Railfreight Insights to find out about the latest developments on the New Iron Silk Road between China and Europe. Get an update on trade and rate developments as well as flexible solutions offered by cargo-partner.

Client interest in rail freight via the standard corridor has clearly increased in Q4, and this interest has increased even more since the beginning of 2026. In March, transit times from the main rail terminals in China to Małaszewicze in Poland ranged between 13 and 16 days, which is considerably better than in the past two months. Geopolitical issues are increasing the awareness of rail as a transport option, as air and sea cargo face challenges with longer transit times. The Russian sanctions policy is still in place, requiring a very detailed check on HS codes of goods. (Click for more)

Market Overview:

• Rates have increased further in April, with each cost element affected. Rail freight, container leasing fees and inland truck costs (at both origin and destination) have all increased by around 20% due to higher fuel costs.

• The development for the second half of April is still unclear. However, some operators have already announced further GRIs, suggesting a continuation of the trend.

• Space is very limited until the end of April.

• Border congestions in Dostyk have significantly improved and are almost back to normal. In the recent weeks transit time to Małaszewicze has reached 13-16 days.

• Some trains are temporarily stopped by China Rail along the way to Alashankou and it seems that China Rail’s control processes are still in place.

• As a consequence of the conflict in the Middle East, we are also seeing increased demand for eastbound transport. Due to limited capacity for this trade, space is very tight and fully booked in parts in April.

Rail transport configuration is important:

Despite the clear uptrend in rates, some market participants are not reflecting this increase in their own rates. When comparing rail freight offers from China to Europe, we recommend focusing not only on the price. Two quotations labelled as 'direct rail transport' can differ greatly in terms of configuration and risk. The departure station, the chosen border crossing, and the type of train used (regular, fast, or scheduled) play a very important role and can lead to significant delays during departure and transit.

Current market assessment from February 15, 2025:

Key Takeaways

Our Recommendations for Customers

• Overall, operations are running smoothly. However, due to increasing demand, bookings should be placed as early as possible.

• We also recommend checking in advance whether there is regular demand, so that additional capacity can be accommodated accordingly.

• Terminal-to-terminal buying rates, but also trucking rates are expected to continue rising in April.

• In comparison to sea freight, which is also affected by many volatile factors such as blank sailings and low schedule reliability, rail freight remains competitive and is now even more an interesting option in terms of both costs and transit time.