Rail transport and Chinese New Year: what is the reality?

Every year around Chinese New Year (CNY), there are many questions about transport from China. A common assumption is that trains must depart before a certain date, otherwise they will be out of service for one to two weeks. In practice, this is not the case.

Our trains continue to run as normal during the CNY period. If a train is booked for a departure date during this period, it will depart as scheduled. Train drivers and train operations are therefore not at a standstill.

What is an important point of attention, however, is the collection of goods from the supplier in China. Around Chinese New Year, many local transporters (trucking companies) are on holiday. This means that goods must be collected on time to avoid delays.

For this period, therefore, the following applies: pick-up is more critical than the train departure itself. If shipments are picked up before the agreed deadline, rail transport can continue as normal.

In summary:

• Trains continue to run during Chinese New Year
• Scheduled departures continue as normal
• The biggest bottleneck is local collection in China
• Timely collection prevents delays

With the right planning, rail transport remains a reliable option during this period.