Eng
In January–September 2024, rail transit between China and Europe via Russia surged by 85.8% year-on-year to 342,500 TEU, said Oleg Belozerov, head of Russian Railways.
Significant growth in rail transit traffic on the China–Europe–China route began against the backdrop of military tensions in the Middle East. In an effort to avoid attacks by Yemen’s Houthis in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, a number of shipping companies have diverted their Europe-bound fleet to routes around Africa, adding nearly 3,600 nautical miles or about 20 days to the journey. In these circumstances, the shorter and faster land route from China to Europe via Russia has become attractive to shippers yet again.
