The Zhengzhou-Europe Railway Express has achieved a significant milestone in international logistics efficiency. Through close collaboration between Zhengzhou and Erenhot customs, inspection and quarantine departments, and railway authorities, a rapid customs clearance mechanism has been established that reduces outbound processing time to just three hours at the Erenhot border crossing.
This development marks a quantum leap in operational efficiency for the China-Europe rail network. The Zhengzhou-Europe Express operates through two main ports: Alashankou in the west and Erenhot in the north. The Alashankou route traverses Kazakhstan and Russia, covering 10,214 kilometers to connect western China with European markets, while the Erenhot route passes through Mongolia and Russia over 10,484 kilometers, linking northern China to Europe.
Since establishing regular operations in 2016, the Zhengzhou-Europe Express has maintained a schedule of four weekly westbound departures and three eastbound returns , creating a reliable and efficient international logistics corridor.
The new "green channel" enables remarkable time savings. After departing Zhengzhou Railway Container Center Station, trains now reach Erenhot Station within 32 hours, typically arriving in the early morning. Customs clearance is completed by late morning, allowing cargo to cross the border before noon - six hours faster than previous procedures.
To date, the Zhengzhou-Europe Express has operated 250 trips , transporting goods worth $1.17 billion with total cargo weight exceeding 105,200 metric tons . Transit time has been reduced from 16 to 12 days, with guaranteed local distribution within 48 hours of arrival. These operational achievements have consistently ranked the Zhengzhou-Europe Express as China's top-performing international rail freight service, solidifying its position as a critical link in Eurasian logistics networks.
