BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 24. Average transit
times along the Middle Corridor rail route between China and
Azerbaijan improved slightly at the start of 2026, Wanxu Dong,
Managing Director of Beijing Trans Eurasia International Logistics
Co., Ltd., wrote on LinkedIn, Trend reports.
According to the information, the average transit time for
freight trains operating between Xi’an and Baku stood at 16 days in
January 2026, compared to 17 days in December 2025. A total of 8
trains were operated on the route in January, while 11 trains were
recorded in December.
The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as
the Middle Corridor, commenced its first freight train service from
Xi'an, China, to Baku, Azerbaijan, in October 2019, completing over
466 trips by late 2025. The service expanded with a new route from
Beijing initiated on June 30, 2025.
Key developments included the modernization of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway in 2024, increasing its annual capacity
from 1 million to 5 million tons. In August 2025, China Railway
Container Transport Corp. joined the corridor's regional joint
venture. In January 2026 the first train of the year departed for
Baku, reducing transit times to about 11 days.
The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian
International Transport Route (TITR), is a transport and trade
route connecting Asia with Europe and serving as an alternative to
the traditional Northern and Southern corridors. The route begins
in China, passes through Central Asian countries such as
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, crosses the Caspian Sea
via Azerbaijan, and continues through Georgia and Türkiye before
reaching Europe. This overland route allows cargo to bypass longer
maritime routes and provides a direct connection between East Asia,
including China, and Europe.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News
Agency's WhatsApp channel
