On July 5, a freight train fully loaded with construction materials arrived at Beijing Railway Logistics Center's Dahongmen Freight Yard, where it was quickly unloaded and transferred to a concrete mixing station. This operation marked a notable improvement in railway freight transport efficiency. According to statistical data, during the first half of this year, Beijing Railway Bureau transported approximately 1.769 million tons of construction materials into the capital, representing an increase of 772,000 tons compared to the same period last year—a growth rate of 77.4%. This upward trend not only demonstrates the railway system's active role in promoting transportation structure optimization but also provides substantial support for shifting freight from road to rail transport.
As a high-capacity, low-cost, and efficient transportation method, railway freight has gradually deepened market-oriented reforms in recent years. The sector has accelerated the construction of modern logistics systems to better meet the demands of industrial production and logistics markets. To enhance freight capacity and optimize logistics services, railway authorities have implemented various measures to improve transportation organization efficiency. These efforts have resulted in both quantitative growth and qualitative improvements in the freight market, supporting national economic recovery while reducing overall logistics costs across society.
In practical operations, many railway bureaus have implemented rational scheduling and resource allocation to address capacity constraints. For instance, the Urumqi Railway Department adopted multiple measures to break through transportation bottlenecks, ensuring rapid delivery of critical supplies such as coal. During the first half of the year, railway freight departments successfully implemented several structural reforms that further enhanced the overall efficiency of the logistics system, providing strong momentum for railway freight development.
To fully utilize transportation corridor capacity, the Xinjiang Railway optimized the number of inbound trains after completing renovations on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway section while strengthening organization for outbound through trains. These reform measures have not only accelerated freight transportation efficiency but also ensured corridor fluidity and improved transportation returns.
Railway departments across regions have also meticulously organized transportation of essential materials for national livelihood, including petroleum, fertilizers, and pesticides. Special green channels have been established with priority given to booking and loading these critical supplies, guaranteeing their timely and efficient delivery. June data demonstrated outstanding performance in national railway freight transportation, with daily coal and thermal coal loading volumes reaching record highs.
In terms of logistics service innovation, since April when it undertook comprehensive railway logistics operations for a bottled water brand, the Fuzhou Railway Logistics Center has introduced a "warehousing-distribution integration" solution based on door-to-door delivery services. This approach has significantly improved transportation efficiency while reducing costs. Such customer-centric service models have effectively driven transformation in transportation patterns to meet emerging market demands.
With high-speed rail development, freight services between Kunming and Chengdu have achieved smooth and efficient operations. This advanced transportation mode provides convenient channels for high-value commodities like fresh flowers and specialty products while boosting rapid regional economic growth. Meanwhile, railway authorities continue exploring multimodal transport development, introducing various new container types to support diverse collection and distribution networks, thereby enhancing overall competitiveness.
In international freight, the launch of the China-Laos Railway has significantly strengthened logistics connections with Belt and Road countries, enabling rapid circulation of Southeast Asian tropical fruits like durian and mangosteen in Chinese markets while providing effective export pathways. The deepening operation of China-Europe freight trains has not only improved the international competitiveness of agricultural and livestock products but also promoted the development of high-quality cross-border logistics systems.
Through continuous innovation and adjustment, railway freight has become a crucial pillar of economic growth, providing more robust guarantees for efficient and secure market logistics operations.
