China-Europe freight traffic via Caspian route surges 60 % in 2026

The number of China-Europe freight trains using the Trans-Caspian route rose by more than 60% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2026, while direct road freight between China and Europe increased by more than 70% over the same period, according to figures presented at a transport meeting in Beijing, China Daily reports.

The Trans-Caspian corridor connects China and Europe through Central Asia and the Caucasus, with goods transported across the Caspian Sea by ship. The route provides an additional link between the two markets and improves access to international trade for landlocked countries along the corridor.

But gaps in railway, road and port infrastructure, along with difficulties in border clearance, continue to hinder the corridor, according to materials presented at the meeting.

Transport authorities from participating countries issued a joint initiative calling for infrastructure upgrades, faster customs clearance and lower transport costs along the route. They also called for improved connections between transport services, wider use of digital systems and closer alignment of standards.

The meeting also saw the release of a guide on China-Europe road transport via the Caspian Sea and the presentation of intergovernmental road transport cooperation documents involving China, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

More than 200 government, industry and international organisation representatives attended the meeting, hosted by China’s Ministry of Transport as part of the Global Sustainable Transport Forum in Beijing.

By Aghakazim Guliyev