On October 14 at 11 PM, a train laden with groceries, home appliances, and snacks departed from the Changsha North Railway Logistics Park, heading toward Huaihua. This marked a significant milestone for the Hunan Railway Logistics service, as the total number of freight trains dispatched surpassed 4,000.
In December 2023, the Hunan railway department established a railway logistics center aimed at enhancing the economic artery’s role, innovating logistics products, improving service quality, and developing a comprehensive railway logistics package to promote the shift from road to rail transport, ultimately reducing overall logistics costs.
Since the beginning of this year, Hunan’s railway sector has been deeply involved in the supply chain’s origins and endpoints, enhancing communication and coordination with government entities and major enterprises. This has included organizing specialized teams for regular visits, conducting extensive market research, and establishing customer profiles and outreach mechanisms.
Faced with the challenges of diverse cargo types, irregular shapes, stringent timing requirements, and scattered collection points at both ends, the Hunan railway department has optimized its logistics products. They implemented systematic solutions addressing cargo loading, “last mile” network layout, precise timing for mainline transport operations, redistribution of distribution sites, and transportation node forecasting. With a customer-centric approach, the department has gradually rolled out unique railway logistics products such as the Changsha-Huaihua logistics package trains and the Changsha North-Nansha Port “passenger-freight” intercity express service, aligning closely with market needs and providing secure, reliable, and timely freight transport services.
A representative from Huaihua Zhongwang Company remarked, “Our cargo transported via the Changhua train achieves delivery times comparable to road transport at only two-thirds of the cost. This logistics package approach significantly reduces costs and increases efficiency for businesses.”
While introducing various logistics products, the Hunan railway department has also significantly enhanced service quality. They offer customized full-process services to major clients, signing “one enterprise, one policy” strategic cooperation agreements with several companies, including Hunan Steel Group, Guoneng Power, and Yueyang Forest & Paper. This ensures stable and smooth logistics channels for raw materials and products, reducing transfer points and minimizing transport times. To cater to the unique industrial characteristics in the province, they have set up public platform projects that enrich pricing tiers and lower policy barriers, attracting more companies to choose railway logistics by offering competitive pricing and high efficiency to achieve mutual benefits.
Long Xin from Yueyang Forest & Paper Co., Ltd. stated, “The railway department provides us with one-stop services, eliminating the need for us to coordinate with short-haul delivery companies and loading personnel, greatly simplifying our logistics management process and saving time and operational costs.”
As of September 30, the Hunan railway department had transported a total of 85.12 million tons of goods, with a single-day record of 2,905 loaded cars. Looking ahead, they plan to continue exploring the development of an “all-in-one” information platform, enhancing railway station service models, and building an efficient and intelligent modern railway logistics system.
