By Johannes Pleschberger in Warsaw
Since its launch in 2016, rail cargo services between China and Europe’s hub in Poland have surged from 1,702 to 19,000. The PKP terminal in Warsaw just launched its longest ever cargo service, running from the capital city directly to China.
While other Polish terminals have been operating Chinese rail links for almost a decade, the new direct service from Warsaw is a further reinforcement of Poland’s role as Europe’s Asian rail hub.
“This railway is our big program, the new silk road from China to Europe,” says Magdalena Rybicka, Deputy Director at Vistula University’s Asia Research Institute. “It’s very fast, and it’s cheap.”
The China Europe Railway express did not only shorten travel time from 40 days via sea to 12 days on rail but also offers an eco-friendly alternative to polluting cargo ships. Meanwhile, Chinese imports to Poland grew by 19 per cent last year, driven by increased purchases of computer equipment and passenger cars.
In order to boost exports to China, the government in Warsaw is hoping a bilateral agreement will restore the possibility of shipping poultry products to the People’s Republic.
Supply chain reliability, access to EU markets, and cost-efficiency make Poland one of Europe’s most attractive destinations for Chinese investments.
Kingfa, a global leader in eco-friendly, biodegradable plastics, has chosen western Poland as the site for its biggest manufacturing plant in Europe. It’s not the only Chinese company to set up shop in Poland. Shanghai Pret Composites, a company specializing in advanced polymer composites for the automotive and industrial sectors, has opened its first production facility while Sanhua Automotive is soon to produce components for electric and hybrid vehicles in Poland. However, the exchange of goods via rail is currently on hold. Poland closed its railway crossings to Belarus after Russian drones entered its airspace. China has said it hopes Poland will take measures to ensure the smooth operation of the China Europe Express.
As soon as the border crossings open up again, Poland’s cargo sector says it plans to install more rail connections to China.
