Linyi-Russia freight train service gains steam as Q1 volume more than doubles

Workers handle the efficient unloading and transfer of container shipments. [Photo/Linyi Daily]

A Qilu China-Europe freight train carrying Made in Linyi products departed from Linyi International Land Port in Shandong province for Russia on April 28. This 61st China-Russia freight train trip this year underscored the city's growing trade ties with the Russian market.

The train, loaded with diesel engines, tractors, woven willow and straw products, and non-woven fabrics, carried 110 twenty-foot equivalent units worth about 16.94 million yuan ($2.49 million). It will exit China through the Erenhot port in Inner Mongolia autonomous region before continuing to Russia.

The departure coincides with Linyi's freight train service to Russia, posting one of its strongest quarterly performances. In the first three months of the year, the Linyi-Russia China-Europe freight train service handled 48 arrivals and departures, a 128.57 percent increase year-on-year, with cargo value reaching 6.55 billion yuan, up 117.21 percent from the previous year.

This growth reflects both the expansion of the route and a closer alignment between Linyi's industrial strengths and the demand in the Russian market. As a major trade and logistics hub in northern China, Linyi hosts over 130 specialized wholesale markets. Its machinery products, such as cranes, loaders, diesel engines, and tractors, meet the agricultural and industrial needs in Russia. Meanwhile, labor-intensive goods such as woven products, non-woven fabrics, and protective supplies remain competitive with Russian buyers.

The service is also helping establish a two-way trade pattern. While Linyi-made industrial and consumer goods are exported, Russian timber and other raw materials are imported back to Linyi, supporting the city's board and furniture industries and creating a more balanced flow of exports and imports.

"The middle corridor through Erenhot allows goods from Linyi to reach core Russian cities in only 12 to 15 days, reducing the journey by about two-thirds compared to traditional sea transport," said Song Zhen, deputy general manager of Shandong Eurasian Railway Logistics Co Ltd. "Overall logistics costs are more than 50 percent lower than air freight and about 20 percent lower than traditional multimodal transport solutions, significantly improving companies' profit margins."

Customs facilitation has also boosted the route's competitiveness. Linyi Customs has introduced a freight deduction model based on documents from freight forwarders and cost allocation through railway platforms, becoming a pioneer in applying domestic freight deductions to return freight trains. In the first quarter, the customs authority deducted more than 11.6 million yuan in freight costs for Russia-bound services and reduced taxes by nearly 2 million yuan.

Editor：韩蒙蒙