Xi'an — Tehran Freight Train Schedule

Iran Boosts Land Trade via Multiple Moves; China-Iran Railway Serves as Core Support

  • Iran Boosts Land Trade via Multiple Moves; China-Iran Railway Serves as Core Support author
  • 18th May 2026

The frequency of Xi’an–Tehran freight trains has doubled, rising from one departure per week to one every 3–4 days. All freight capacity for May is fully booked, with further capacity expansion planned for June.

Departing from Xi’an, the trains exit China via Alashankou, traverse Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, enter Iran through the Sarakhs border checkpoint, and terminate at Aplin Dry Port in Tehran. The total route length is approximately 10,400 kilometers with a transit time of around 18 days, more than twice as fast as sea freight which takes about 40 days.

The trains mainly carry urgently needed goods for Iran, including auto parts, generator sets, electronic products, industrial raw materials and consumer goods. Each train can haul 40 to 50 container carriages, equivalent to about 50 forty-foot standard containers.

Driven by surging market demand, the freight rate for forty-foot containers has increased by around 40%.

For urgently needed goods, high value-added products, and foreign trade orders that are sensitive to timing, the Xi’an – Tehran freight train has become a preferred choice. Understanding the route details and market changes helps enterprises plan logistics solutions more reasonably, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.

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