The status of railway transportation

Railway freight transport is one of the main modes of modern transportation and one of the two basic modes of land freight transport. It occupies an important position in the entire transportation sector and plays an increasingly vital role.

Railway transport is less affected by climate and natural conditions, and its transport capacity and single-carload loading are significantly greater, giving it advantages in regularity and low cost. Furthermore, the availability of various types of rolling stock allows it to transport almost any commodity, virtually without weight or volume restrictions-advantages unmatched by road and air transport.

The increased freight capacity induced by the opening of high-speed rail should not be underestimated. In 2010, the total freight volume of railways nationwide reached 3.643 billion tons, an increase of 310 million tons, or 9.3%, year-on-year. Part of this growth was due to the freeing up freight capacity on existing lines by the opening of high-speed rail.