On March 19, a China-Europe freight train loaded with electronic products roared out of the Alashankou Port, heading for Malaszewicze in Poland. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the launch of the China-Europe Railway Express. As a crucial gateway for China's opening-up to the west, the Alashankou Port has witnessed the remarkable journey of these "steel camels" from nothing to a thriving network.
Fifteen years ago, China's first China-Europe Railway Express departed from Chongqing and exited through the Alashankou Port, opening a new chapter in Eurasian land transport. Over the past 15 years, the cumulative number of China-Europe (Central Asia) freight trains passing through the Alashankou Port under customs supervision has exceeded 53,000, accounting for over 30% of the national total.
Over the past 15 years, a series of policies supporting the development of the China-Europe Railway Express have been continuously implemented, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality operation of the trains. In 2020, the General Administration of Customs issued the "Customs Measures to Support the Development of the China-Europe Railway Express," providing top-level design support in areas such as customs clearance facilitation and information technology construction. In 2021, the General Administration of Customs launched the "Railway Express Clearance" model nationwide, streamlining the operational links between the train's origin and the port customs, saving approximately three hours of port stop time per train. Building on this, Urumqi Customs detailed and implemented 12 supporting measures, and in 2025, innovatively introduced the "Smart Railway Port + Rapid Local Clearance" business model, enabling "second-level release" of freight trains at the port.
As a key hub on the western corridor of the China-Europe Railway Express, the Alashankou Port successfully cleared the country's first outbound China-Europe freight train utilizing the "Railway Express Clearance" model in 2021. This model saves enterprises about 30% in port operation costs compared to traditional clearance models. While continuously optimizing customs procedures, Alashankou Customs, focusing on the construction of a "Smart Customs," has put into operation a comprehensive railway inspection site (Site T). The train inspection model has transformed from traditional "section-by-section manual" inspection to "non-intrusive intelligent supervision." Large container inspection equipment works in coordination with intelligent image analysis systems, increasing the efficiency of average single-train inspections by 70%, achieving seamless connection and orderly flow between the clearance and inspection processes.
To date, the number of China-Europe (Central Asia) freight train routes passing through the Alashankou Port has reached 128, reaching 21 countries including Germany and Poland. The goods transported cover over 200 types of high-value-added commodities such as auto parts, electronic products, and daily necessities, providing solid support for building an efficient and smooth Asia-Europe economic and trade corridor.
From the departure of the first train to the now constant flow of traffic, over the past 15 years, the China-Europe Railway Express has continuously accelerated at the Alashankou Port. As a stable, efficient, and unimpeded land route, it has substantially built a bridge for Asia-Europe economic and trade exchanges, becoming a solid and vibrant practice in China's westward opening-up process.