China-Europe freight train services operated 20,022 trips in 2025, representing a 3.2% increase compared with the previous year, according to the latest statistics from China Railway. Total volumes reached more than 2.05 million TEUs, although this marked a 1.3% decline year on year.
Of the total services, 9,898 were outbound from China and 10,124 were return trips, resulting in an outbound-to-return ratio of 0.977:1. While flows remained broadly balanced, 2025 was the first year in recent times that return services exceeded outbound ones. In comparison, the ratio stood at 1.156:1 in 2022, 1.142:1 in 2023 and 1.192:1 in 2024.
Xi’an remained the leading hub, with 3,914 departures on China–Europe routes. Outbound services from Xi’an declined by 10.3% year on year, while return services increased by 14.8%, resulting in overall growth of 1.7%.
Zhengzhou moved up to second place, overtaking Chengdu and Chongqing. Its growth was primarily driven by outbound trains, which surged 40.7% to 802 services, continuing strong momentum from the previous year.
Together, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing form the clear first tier of China–Europe freight train hubs. In the 500–1,000 train range, eight cities make up what can be considered a second tier: Yiwu (934), Jinan (849), Shijiazhuang (840), Wuhan (803), Changsha (754), Shenyang (737), Guangzhou (560) and Jinhua (510).
Jinhua recorded the fastest growth among these cities, up 58.4% year on year. Shijiazhuang grew by 40.9%, Jinan by 30% and Yiwu by 15%, contributing to the expansion of the second tier. Meanwhile, the number of cities operating more than 100 China–Europe freight train services declined slightly, from 25 in the previous year to 22 in 2025.