Is Hangzhou Railway Export Agency the King of Saving Money for Foreign Trade?

When Mr. Zhang first heard about "Hangzhou Railway Export Agency", he thought it was just an ordinary service in the logistics industry. It was not until his cross-border e-commerce goods reached Europe directly by railway in 7 days, saving 60% of the cost compared to air freight, that this entrepreneur realized: This "Steel Caravan" running across Asia and Europe is rewriting the rules of foreign trade.

Why Has Hangzhou Become a Railway Export Hub?

Hangzhou is not only the capital of e-commerce but also a key node in the "Belt and Road" railway network:

• The China-Europe Railway Express (Yiwu - Madrid) departs regularly 3 times a week
• The railway transportation timeliness is stable at 12 - 18 days, 2 times faster than sea freight
• The Hangzhou Customs has pioneered the "Railway Quick Clearance" mode, reducing the single-voyage clearance time to 3 hours

Ms. Li's clothing foreign trade company, through the railway agency service of Zhongshitong, for the first time tried to send goods from Hangzhou to Duisburg, Germany. The total freight cost was only 28,000 yuan, saving 20% of the time compared to traditional sea freight and reducing the cost by 75% compared to air freight.

The Three Core Values of Railway Agencies

1. Cost Control Expert
The quotation per kilogram of railway transportation is about 1/4 of that of air freight, which is suitable for "intermediate weight segment" goods weighing 15 - 500 kilograms. The "LCL service" provided by Zhongshitong enables small-batch goods to share the resources of a whole train.

2. Timeliness Balance Master
By optimizing the route of "Hangzhou - Khorgos - Europe" and coordinating with the overseas truck distribution network, a stable timeliness of door-to-door delivery in 18 days can be achieved, which is especially suitable for time-sensitive goods such as electronic accessories and auto parts.

3. Green Logistics Pioneer
The carbon emissions of railway transportation are only 1/50 of that of air freight. With the implementation of the EU's carbon tariff policy, choosing railway export will become an important plus for ESG compliance.

How to Choose a Reliable Railway Agency?

Zhongshitong suggests that enterprises pay attention to three dimensions:

• Check the railway transport capacity quota of the agency (the stable monthly departure volume)
• Confirm that the overseas customs clearance cooperation network covers the target country
• Request to provide case references of at least 3 similar customers

It is worth noting that some agents in Hangzhou provide an integrated service of "railway + overseas warehouse", which is particularly useful for sellers planning to layout the European market.

The Future Is Here: The Next Stop of Railway Export

With the opening of new lines such as the China-Laos Railway and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, the railway transportation from Hangzhou to Southeast Asia is about to explode. The internal data of an agency shows that in 2023, the volume of railway exports from Hangzhou increased by 210% year-on-year, and emerging categories such as new energy vehicle parts and photovoltaic modules accounted for 37%.

When you are worrying about high freight costs and unstable shipping schedules, perhaps it's time to look up at the direction where the railway tracks extend. This trade channel that has been silent for years is coming back to life under the catalysis of the digital economy. Is your product ready to catch this express train?