China's national railways reported a 3.6% year-on-year increase in freight volume during the first four months of 2025, moving approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of goods. The data, released by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., highlights robust industrial activity and supply chain efficiency, with daily loading volumes rising to 180,000 carriages—a 4.7% jump from 2024.
Coal Dominates, Construction Materials Surge
Coal accounted for 672 million tonnes of rail freight, including 464 million tonnes destined for power plants. Shipments of mining and construction materials soared by 29.3%, while metallurgical materials grew 10.7%, signaling strong infrastructure and manufacturing demand. Railway authorities noted that power plant coal reserves remain at stable levels.
Logistics Innovation Drives Cross-Border Trade
The introduction of 119 multimodal transport services reduced delivery times and costs, contributing to a 19.1% rise in rail-water container shipments (5.38 million TEUs). Cross-border freight also expanded, with China-Europe Railway Express maintaining steady operations. China-Central Asia freight train trips surged 21% to 4,725, while the China-Laos Railway transported 1.976 million tonnes of goods—a 7.6% increase.
