Asia ↔ Europe
Asia – Europe
Ocean, air and a proven rail option on one corridor, with routing chosen for transit time, cost and risk.
How this lane works
Asia–Europe is the one major trade where rail is a genuine third option. It sits between ocean and air on both cost and transit, which makes it the natural answer for cargo that is too valuable to spend six weeks at sea and not valuable enough to fly. The corridor must be specified, because on this trade the gauge-change crossing decides rail transit.
European standard gauge is 1,435 mm; the CIS network runs on 1,520 mm. Containers moving overland must therefore be transhipped at a break-of-gauge point, and that transhipment is where rail schedules slip. A rail quote needs to name the corridor and the crossing to be planned against; otherwise its number is an average across crossings that behave very differently under congestion.
Ocean routing on this lane carries its own variable. Whether a service transits Suez or routes around the Cape of Good Hope changes both the transit and the cost materially, and it can change between the quotation and the sailing. We price ocean on the path the service is actually running, and say so.
Indicative transit
- Ocean
- Roughly 4–7 weeks port to port
- Rail
- Materially faster than ocean, materially slower than air
- Air
- Days
Indicative ranges. We quote the services currently operating and flag anything that could affect the schedule.
- Ocean
- Routing around the Cape rather than through Suez adds substantially to both transit and cost.
- Rail
- Depends heavily on the corridor and on congestion at the break-of-gauge crossing.
- Air
- Used for high-value and time-critical cargo on this trade.
Key planning factor
Planning the gauge-change crossing
European standard gauge is 1,435 mm and the CIS network is 1,520 mm, so containers moving overland must be transhipped at a break-of-gauge point. That transhipment, not the distance, is where rail schedules slip. A rail quote on this trade must name the crossing to be planned against.
Gateways
Where this lane starts and finishes.
The ports and airports we use most on this corridor, where routing options are widest. Other gateways are available on request.
Origin gateways
- Shanghai
- Ningbo
- Shenzhen
- Xi'an
- Chengdu
Destination gateways
- Rotterdam
- Hamburg
- Antwerp
- Duisburg
- Malaszewicze
Planning notes
What we check before booking.
- Ask which corridor and which crossing a rail quote uses, and plan against that.
- Price ocean routings on their current path, since canal conditions change both transit and cost.
- Compare rail against ocean on door-to-door terms including drayage at both ends.
Services on this corridor
What we run on this lane.
Rail Freight
Inland and intercontinental rail wherever it outperforms road on cost and ocean on time, including the China–Europe corridors and North American intermodal.
SVC-02Ocean Freight
FCL, LCL and specialised equipment on the main east–west and transatlantic trades, with VGM, ISF and free time managed as part of every booking.
SVC-01Air Freight
Time-critical and high-value cargo on established airline and handling partners, with chargeable weight, screening and documents confirmed before booking.
SVC-05Customs & Compliance
Classification, entry preparation and regulatory filings coordinated with licensed customs brokers, so cargo clears smoothly.
Lane questions
Asia – Europe, answered.
How long does rail freight from China to Europe take?
Materially faster than ocean and materially slower than air. The exact figure depends on the corridor and on congestion at the break-of-gauge crossing more than on distance, so we confirm which crossing a quote is built on before we plan against it.
What is the break of gauge and why does it matter?
European standard gauge is 1,435 mm and the CIS network is 1,520 mm, so containers moving overland between them have to be transhipped from one wagon fleet to another at a crossing point such as Malaszewicze. That transhipment, not the run itself, is where China–Europe rail schedules slip.
Is rail cheaper than air and faster than ocean?
Generally yes on both counts, which is exactly why it exists as an option on this trade. To confirm it is the right answer, compare it door to door against ocean, including drayage at both ends: the inland legs are a larger share of the total on rail than on ocean.