More than 34,000 refrigeration appliances have been shipped to 15 European countries via the China Railway Express (Xi’an) this year, as surging demand driven by persistently high temperatures across Europe pushes exporters to favor the rail route’s speed and cost advantages over sea and air freight, according to local authorities.
A train loaded with air conditioners departed Xi’an International Port Station in Shaanxi province on Monday, bound for Mannheim, Germany, with an expected transit time of 12 days, 70 percent faster than sea transport and at roughly one-fifth the cost of air freight.
“The train sets off this week, and the air conditioners can be put on shelves next week, which greatly improves our competitiveness,” said Zhang Xiao, deputy general manager of Xi’an International Inland Port Multimodal Transport.
Chinese cooling appliances are now widely available in supermarkets and stores across Germany, France, Italy, and elsewhere in Europe.
Xi’an operates three regular scheduled freight routes to Duisburg, Prague, and Budapest. The fastest journey to Budapest takes under 11 days.
To handle rising order volumes, authorities have streamlined customs and railway data systems, integrated inspection and quarantine procedures, and launched a priority green channel for refrigeration products covering container allocation, loading, inspection, and departure.