Russia ↔ China freight: routes and timelines
Road, rail block trains and air from Russia to Urumqi, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou. How to choose by cargo type and season.
May 5, 2026
Russia–China is one of Eurasia's busiest trade corridors. We move both China imports into Russia and Russian exports east. Here is how to pick the option.
Routes
- Road — Moscow/Novosibirsk → Khorgos/Dostyk → Urumqi. 12–18 days.
- Rail block trains — regular departures from Moscow and the Urals through Kazakhstan to Xi'an, Chongqing, Zhengzhou, Qingdao. 14–22 days.
- Air — Moscow/Sheremetyevo → Shanghai/Beijing/Guangzhou. 3–6 days, for urgent and high-value cargo.
- Multimodal — road + rail to Khorgos, Chinese carriers to the final warehouse.
Times on key lanes
| Lane | Road | Rail |
|---|---|---|
| Moscow → Urumqi | 14–18 days | — |
| Moscow → Beijing | — | 16–20 days |
| Moscow → Shanghai | — | 18–22 days |
| Novosibirsk → Urumqi | 7–10 days | — |
Documents
- Contract and invoice with the Chinese counterparty are mandatory.
- CT-1 certificate of origin for tariff preferences.
- Russian export declaration (for outbound shipments).
- Chinese import declaration — handled by consignee.
Things to keep in mind
Chinese customs strictly checks marking and certification. Food, cosmetics and medical products need GACC registration. Confirm with the consignee that the import licence covers the specific category before shipping.