China has given a symbolic start to the new logistics year. On Thursday, the first China–Europe freight train of 2026 departed from the International Port Station in Xi’an, the administrative center of Shaanxi Province in northwestern China. The train is traveling along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and will pass through Kazakhstan, DKNews.kz reports.
The freight train will cross the China–Kazakhstan border via the Khorgos checkpoint, travel across Kazakhstan, cross the Caspian Sea, and arrive in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
More than just the first train of the year
This shipment carries several symbolic milestones. It is not only the first China–Europe freight train of 2026, but also the first train to depart from China via the Trans-Caspian route this year.
The train is fully loaded with 45 containers of photovoltaic modules, highlighting the growing role of the TITR in transporting high-tech and green energy products across Eurasia.
From two months to 11 days
Speed is the route’s key advantage. According to Du Ning, an employee of the Northwest Electric Power Design Institute of China Power Engineering Consulting Group (CPECC), part of China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC), the Trans-Caspian route has dramatically changed logistics economics.
The China–Europe (Xi’an) freight train has created a convenient international logistics corridor. Compared with traditional maritime transport, delivery time has been reduced from two months to just 11 days. This has significantly lowered logistics costs for enterprises, - Du said.
Xi’an bets on the Trans-Caspian corridor
Xi’an is actively involved in developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, working closely with partners to consistently reduce costs and improve efficiency.
As a result, freight departures along the route have become more frequent. Delivery times, which previously ranged from 15 to 23 days, have now been reduced to approximately 11 days.
Kazakhstan as a key transit hub
For Kazakhstan, the growth of cargo flows along the TITR strengthens the country’s position as a major transit hub between China and Europe. Key segments of the route run across Kazakhstan, linking continental Eurasia with the Caspian Sea.
This role has made the Trans-Caspian corridor increasingly attractive to shippers amid global supply chain disruptions and congestion on traditional maritime routes.
The numbers behind the growth
The first freight train from Xi’an along the Trans-Caspian route was launched in 2019. By the end of November 2025, a total of 466 trains had been dispatched from Xi’an via this corridor.
According to data from China State Railway Group, the total number of China–Europe freight train departures from Xi’an reached 5,671 between January and November 2025, representing a 20.5 percent year-on-year increase.
A strong start to 2026
Analysts say the launch of the first China–Europe train of 2026 via the Trans-Caspian route underscores a clear trend: China, Kazakhstan, and countries of the Caspian region are increasingly betting on alternative land corridors connecting Asia and Europe.
Amid geopolitical uncertainty and overloaded sea routes, such logistics solutions are expected to play a defining role in the future of Eurasian trade.
