A China-Europe freight train departs from Tianjin. [Photo/IC]

In 2025, Tianjin dispatched 668 China-Europe and China-Central Asia freight trains, transporting 71,774 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 9.2 percent increase from the previous year.

As a key land-sea hub of the Belt and Road Initiative, Tianjin Port has opened multiple routes via Erenhot, Manzhouli, Alashankou, and Khorgos. With deepening international cooperation, these rail services have become vital channels for trade between China, Europe, and Central Asia.

Tianjin Customs has leveraged the port's strategic location to better coordinate cross-border procedures and improve sea‑rail intermodal efficiency.

A dedicated research team was formed to identify bottlenecks across the entire logistics chain, leading to optimized supervision measures and targeted support for enterprises. Customs also advanced the "railway express clearance" policy, enabling export declarations upon cargo arrival at the terminal, further enhancing efficiency.

In addition, Tianjin Customs oversaw the launch of a scheduled Central Asia train to Kazakhstan via Khorgos, increasing Tianjin's fixed‑schedule routes to three and further strengthening the city's role as a major logistics gateway.