NIKCO.LOG China freight guide
Plan the rail route, terminals and equipment around cargo type, loading city and final destination.
Decision of the route
Rail can complement sea and road freight for some commercial and industrial cargo between Iran and China. The decision depends on more than the train's journey time.
Origin and destination cities, weight and volume, commodity, distance to the terminal, equipment requirements, service capacity and border handling must be assessed together. NIKCO.LOG Assess time and cost from loading point to final destination .
Before assessing route and rate, establish whether the goods can be accepted on the service or require further approval.
Request a freight quoteCargo suitability
Acceptance depends on commodity, packaging and route restrictions. Some shipments can be assessed from standard details; others require specific approval before planning.
Route and borders
The map uses the Qom–Yiwu train as a real example, showing its origin and gateways. The guide below follows the border crossings and rail-network changes; your shipment may use different endpoints.
To see the entire map, drag it left and right.
Actual origin and destination
The Qom–Yiwu example does not fix every shipment's origin or destination. Factory or warehouse location determines the suitable terminal; a city's rail connection does not necessarily mean a direct scheduled train to China.
In Iran
Aprin dry port near Tehran is an important Iranian international rail hub. Depending on cargo location, equipment and departures, shipments may enter the network at another station or first move to a main hub.
In China
For imports, cargo can move from its origin city or factory to a Chinese rail hub. For exports to China, the route continues beyond Khorgos to the destination city or warehouse. Xi'an is an important international freight rail hub, but routes are not limited to this city.
Select equipment
Once both ends of the route are known, weight, dimensions and packaging determine whether containerised or wagonload transport is more suitable.
For industrial parts, machinery, raw materials and packed goods. At gauge changes, containers are usually transferred between wagons on the two networks while cargo remains inside.
May suit metal products, minerals, raw materials, heavy cargo and certain bulk goods. Wagon selection depends on weight, dimensions and loading and unloading methods.
Technical point on the route
Container or wagon selection affects border handling. Iran and China use 1,435 mm gauge, while Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan mainly use 1,520 mm. Transfers into the next network must therefore be coordinated at the Iran–Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan–China borders.
For containerised freight, the container is usually transferred to a wagon on the next network while the cargo stays inside. For wagonload freight, terminal facilities determine whether bogies can be exchanged or cargo must be transferred to another wagon. The method is agreed before loading.
Time and cost
Routing, equipment and border handling all affect time and cost. Compare options from loading to final delivery; no single rate or lead time applies to all shipments.
Shipment execution
After agreeing the route, equipment, schedule and rate, booking and execution follow. Documents, loading, border handling and delivery are coordinated with the cargo owner.
Origin, destination, commodity, weight, volume and cargo ready date.
Choosing the station, hub and initial and final shipping method.
Inspection of capacity, equipment, Borders and restrictions of goods.
Booking, documents, loading, export formalities and border coordination.
Destination formalities, continuation of domestic transportation and delivery within the agreed range.
Before you enquire
No. The suitable rail entry point depends on cargo location, equipment, schedules and initial transfer costs. A city's rail connection does not mean a permanent direct train to China.
Commercial shipments from 1 CBM are considered. Consolidated freight depends on an active service, available capacity and cargo type.
Lead time is not fixed. Origin, destination, departure date, train assembly, border operations, customs and inland transport in China all affect door-to-door timing.
Where feasible, cargo can continue beyond Khorgos by Chinese domestic rail or road to the agreed destination. State the precise destination city at enquiry.
The answer depends on the shipment and both ends of the route. Compare total rail cost and lead time with sea freight to select a feasible option.
Rail-freight enquiry
Send origin and destination cities, commodity, package weight and dimensions, and cargo ready date so route, lead time and cost can be assessed.