The inaugural Wuhan-to-Chengdu dedicated freight train service began operations this week, introducing a new rail-water intermodal solution that bypasses transportation bottlenecks in the Three Gorges Dam area. The service reduces transit time between the two cities to just 50 hours — up to seven days faster than traditional water routes.
Departing Wuhan at noon on Wednesday, the train carried European electronic goods and is expected to complete the journey in approximately two days. This marks the successful implementation of a collaborative project between Wuhan Railway and COSCO Shipping Logistics.
Under the new model, containers arriving at Yangluo Port are transferred directly to the rail network at Shekou Freight Yard, eliminating multiple handling stages. With daily scheduled departures, the service provides seamless connectivity between rail, river, and ocean transport while significantly reducing intermediate processes.
Industry Impact: The optimized logistics chain cuts overall transportation costs and improves efficiency, creating favorable conditions for regional economic development. Transportation analysts note this route could reshape cargo distribution patterns in central and western China.
