China-Europe Railway Express: 5 Major Border Ports
Rail Freight Guide · Approx. 6 min read
The China-Europe Railway Express is a containerized international rail service connecting China with Europe and countries along the "Belt and Road". It operates through three outbound corridors — Western, Central and Eastern. This article covers gauge-changing at border ports, the three corridors, and the five major exit ports to help you build a clear picture of rail freight from China.
Why must trains change bogies at the border? China uses the standard gauge of 1435 mm, while Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan use the broad gauge of 1520 mm. Because the gauges differ, trains cannot cross the border directly — every Chinese exit port is a transloading point, where containers are lifted by crane onto railcars of the other gauge.
The three corridors and border transloading ports of the China-Europe Railway Express
1. Western Corridor (Exit via Xinjiang · Linking Kazakhstan)
Border ports: Alashankou, Khorgos
Route: Chinese cities (Xi'an, Chongqing, Chengdu, Yiwu, etc.) → Urumqi → Alashankou / Khorgos → Kazakhstan → Russia → Belarus → Poland → Western Europe (Duisburg, Madrid, Paris, etc.)
Features: The largest traffic volume; reaches deep into Europe, with branches to Central Asian countries.
2. Central Corridor (Exit via Inner Mongolia · Transiting Mongolia)
Border port: Erenhot
Route: Chinese cities (Zhengzhou, Hefei, etc.) → Erenhot → Mongolia (Zamyn-Üüd) → Russia → Europe
Features: Shorter distance for cargo from North and Central China; reaches Russia, Northern and Eastern Europe via Mongolia.
3. Eastern Corridor (Exit via Inner Mongolia / Northeast China · Linking Russia)
Border ports: Manzhouli, Suifenhe, Tongjiang North
Route: Various Chinese cities → Manzhouli → Russia (Zabaikalsk), joining the Trans-Siberian Railway westbound to Europe
Features: Strong return-load supply; suitable for cargo from Northeast and South China; enters Russia directly without transiting a third country.
4. The Five Border Ports at a Glance
Port
Corridor
Linking
Alashankou
Western
Kazakhstan
Khorgos
Western
Kazakhstan
Erenhot
Central
Mongolia
Manzhouli
Eastern
Russia
Suifenhe
Eastern
Russia
5. In One Sentence
The China-Europe Railway Express runs through three outbound corridors — Western, Central and Eastern — departing from consolidation hubs such as Xi'an, Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhengzhou and Yiwu, changing gauge at border ports such as Alashankou, Khorgos, Erenhot and Manzhouli, and crossing the Eurasian continent to reach Russia, Central Asia and many European countries. It is the main artery of overland container transport between Asia and Europe.
The three corridors and border transloading ports of the China-Europe Railway Express transit times
Key European distribution hubs include Małaszewicze, Brest and Duisburg. Beyond the main Europe route, southern branches reach Central Asia (Tashkent), Iran (Tehran) and Afghanistan. For specific routings and transit times, feel free to contact us.
