Can Railway Freight from China Really Help You Cut Costs and Save Time?

At Shenzhen Ruizhou International Freight Co., Ltd., we’ve been helping clients move goods between China and Europe for years. As shipping demands grow more complex, we’ve noticed more customers turning to railway freight—not just because it’s faster than sea, but because it offers a good balance of speed and cost. That’s what most businesses are looking for.

Right now, railway freight from China connects key cities like Xi’an, Chongqing, and Zhengzhou directly to European destinations such as Hamburg, Duisburg, and Warsaw. It typically takes about 18 to 22 days for goods to reach their destination—much faster than sea routes. This is especially useful for medium-volume shipments that are too time-sensitive for sea, but not urgent enough for expensive air freight. We’ve seen manufacturers, wholesalers, and e-commerce sellers all benefit from this model.

From our side, we see three main reasons why railway freight has grown so fast. First, it’s predictable. The train schedules are fixed, and delays are far less common than at ports. That makes planning easier. Second, we can combine rail with trucking or sea legs for flexible door-to-door service. Third, thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, the infrastructure is getting better every year—more routes, better connections, and smoother customs processes.

Our team handles both Full Train Load (FTL) and Less than Train Load (LTL) shipments. Whether you’re sending 20 containers or just one pallet, we’ll find a way to make it work. Many clients also ask for intermodal options when they need final delivery in smaller European towns or warehouses. We sort that out through our partner network on both sides.

What makes our work smoother is having experience on the ground. We’ve arranged railway freight shipments for everything from electronics to heavy machinery, and we know where the common bottlenecks are. From document preparation to customs clearance and cargo tracking, we keep it all running without surprises.

If you’re trying to optimize your current logistics strategy—or simply looking for something more stable than sea freight—this could be the right time to explore a rail solution. Get in touch with us at Shenzhen Ruizhou International Freight Co., Ltd. Let’s talk about what railway freight could do for your business.