DHL launches fastest rail freight service between China and Germany

• Leveraging China Railway (Xi'an-Germany) Express, the new route from Xi'an, China to Hamburg and Neuss, Germany cuts transport time from 17 to approximately 10-12 days
• New service extends DHL's Belt and Road multimodal logistics offerings

SHANGHAI, CHINA - Media OutReach - 4 November 2019 - DHL Global Forwarding and Xi'an International Inland Port Investment & Development Group Co. Ltd have launched the fastest rail service from Xi'an in China to Hamburg and Neuss in Germany today, cutting transit time from 17 to between 10 and 12 days. 

The new express rail service is the first-of-its-kind in the market to break new ground in the speed and efficiency of China-Europe rail freight, shortening total transit time by travelling through the Mamonovo-Braniewo railway border between Russia and Poland.

Source: DHL

"Xi'an is at the heart of the New Silk Road economic belt, taking on the same important role as it once did during the ancient route of Marco Polo's era," said Steve Huang, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding China. "A foreign investment and manufacturing hub that has seen exports increase in 2018 by 29% year-on-year, the city today is a thriving international center with high-quality production capabilities in pillar industries like mechanicals, electronics, bio-pharmaceuticals and automobile manufacturing. By boosting greater agility whilst offering the express rail service at reasonable costs, DHL Global Forwarding seeks to connect these fast-evolving industries to rising demand and market opportunities in Europe."

With trade between the two regions averaging €1 billion a day and slated to grow, China remains the European Union's second biggest trading partner, accounting for the region's biggest source of imports and its second-biggest source of exports. Equally, special economic zones in Greater Xi'an are attracting growing foreign investments as the city positions itself as a hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G infrastructure and cloud computing to enhance its manufacturing capabilities. Xi'an is home to over 100 enterprises specializing in AI, bringing in a total revenue of CN¥10 billion (€1.3 billion), while global and local companies have agreed to invest CN¥214 billion yuan (€27.5 billion) in the city's digital development.

"Over the past four months, we have been working closely with DHL to test and start this express line. Both teams have showed a tremendously high degree of enthusiasm and professionalism," said Qu Jinwei, General Manager, Xi'an International Inland Port Investment & Development Group Co. Ltd. "As next steps, we will strive to make this express rail freight a success. Using the development model of 'hub and industry integration', we will leverage this service to strengthen the collaboration between the region's manufacturing and trading sectors with international logistics. This would attract more industries to our region, fortifying their capabilities to gather resources from international supply chains and sharpening their competitive edges."

The new rail service takes an approximate 9,400-km route through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, and Lithuania to Kaliningrad Oblast, a part of the Russian Federation on the south coast of the Baltic Sea, before entering the European Union via the Mamonovo-Braniewo crossing. The final stretch of the route crosses Poland into Germany to the port city of Hamburg, and to Neuss, an important logistics hub on the Rhine River across Düsseldorf. Traversing numerous countries, the fastest rail service between China and Germany was created with the support of China Railway, Belintertrans, RTSB Gmbh and UTLC -- Eurasian Rail Alliance.

The Xi'an-Germany express rail connection will offer customers real-time milestone visibility, using GPS tracking of shipments, via the iSee software platform -- giving shippers door-to-door visibility and insight into any shipping exceptions as soon as they occur.

DHL Global Forwarding recently opened two Rail Competence Centers in Le Havre, France and Felixstowe, UK in response to growing demand for rail freight services along the New Silk Road, and to complement its existing Rail Competence Centers, including four in China.

Note to editors:

Rail has re-emerged as a viable option for trans-Eurasian freight, while air and road freight are being developed along the Belt and Road Initiative. Together, they form the basis for a new multimodal shipping platform that is disrupting supply chains. Find out which multimodal transport hubs are changing the way goods are being moved and distributed across Eurasia.

Snapshot: DHL Global Forwarding's Multimodal Freight Network along China's Belt and Road Initiative

As the pioneer in innovative multimodal shipping solutions from China to Europe, DHL has been offering a suite of innovative and flexible multimodal solutions since 2010, which connects Chinese mainland, Taiwan China, Japan and Southeast Asia to Europe.

• West Corridor: Fastest connection between Europe, and new emerging inland Chinese hubs of Chengdu and Xi'an among others; supporting high-tech, automotive, and retail manufacturers located in Western China with cost-effective access into European markets
• North Corridor: From China's Eastern & Southern coast via Trans-Siberian Railway to Moscow, and further to Poland and Germany; it connects China's engineering and manufacturing hubs in Yangtze & Pearl River deltas to pan-European demand in 18-20 days
• South Corridor: Traverses three Central Asian countries -- Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia -- as well as Caspian Sea before arriving at Istanbul in 12-14 days
• Sea transit: Connecting Japan, Korea and Taiwan China to Chinese mainland via ferry services, for onward journey to Europe; as well as Shanghai to Europe via Piraeus, Greece
• Road connection: linking manufacturing base in Vietnam, and South East Asia to Europe via China

DHL – The logistics company for the world

portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 61 billion euros in 2018.

About Xi'an International Inland Port Investment & Development Group - To become a leading international inland port group

Established in June 2009, Xi'an International Inland Port Investment & Development Group Co. Ltd. is a large state-owned enterprise approved by the Xi'an Municipal People's Government and invested by the Xi'an International Port Management Committee.  It is responsible for the investment, construction and operation of the "Xi'an Port" project. Its subsidiary, Xi'an International Inland Port Multimodal Transport Co., Ltd, is appointed by China State Railway Group to operate the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an). The company is also one of the starting members of the China-Europe Railway Express Transportation Coordination Committee.