1st freight trains from China to Türkiye depart via Middle Corridor

ISTANBUL

Two freight trains departed China for Türkiye on July 9, marking the first direct rail shipment under a new regular service connecting the cities of Chongqing and Chengdu with Europe via the Middle Corridor, the Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Ministry said Tuesday.

Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the launch represented a “new era” in the East–West logistics chain, adding: “These trains are the physical manifestations of Türkiye’s vision for logistics on the Middle Corridor.”

The trains, each carrying 2,000 metric tons of cargo, have already traveled about 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) within China and crossed into Kazakhstan, according to the minister. The route will continue through Central Asia and the Caspian Sea, entering Türkiye before reaching European destinations.

Uraloglu said the agreement enabling the service — signed between Turkish firm Pasifik Eurasia and China’s State Railway during the Global Transport Corridors Forum held in Istanbul from June 27 to 29 — reinforced Türkiye’s role in the Europe–Asia logistics network.

He said Türkiye had invested nearly $300 billion in transport and communication infrastructure over the past 23 years. The country’s railway network has expanded by 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) to reach 13,919 kilometers (8,649 miles), including 2,251 kilometers (1,399 miles) of high-speed rail.

“Our national railway network will ensure these trains reach Europe uninterruptedly,” he said.

He attributed the breakthrough to long-term coordination efforts, including bilateral visits and feasibility studies. Talks in Beijing in May and last month’s transport forum in Istanbul gave the effort new momentum, he said.

“We aim to provide uninterrupted logistics flow between Europe and China with a target of 1,000 trains every year — this process not only propels our country’s logistics but also our role as a geostrategic hub of security with alternative routes in regional and global trade and resilience even during crises,” he said.

He added that the Middle Corridor would continue to expand through new cooperation with Asian and European countries, particularly China, under the broader Development Road initiative.