CHINESE railways, that span much of the vast interior of the country, have combined into a national network called the Trans China Railway (TCR).

Individually and collectively, the many rail lines act as feeder routes to funnel to China's vast hinterland production to Europe via an increasingly popular block trains through Kazakhstan and points west.

The TCR now connects Urumqi, Alaskan, Horgos, and Kazakhstan's border region, Dostik, and Atinkol, across the Chinese continent from the northeast to Harbin and Manzouli on the Outer Mongolian borders.

The starting point for cargo could be as far away as the Seojung Logistics Pyeongtaek industrial park south of Incheon to tap into Korean exports for Europe.

That's if shippers care to add a short run across the Yellow Sea to link up with the rail head at Chinese Port of Lianyungang where the train journey begins.

The advantages of the TCR include the transportation of heavy objects in containers without weight limits, ex coils and machinery. It can also links to Qingdao and Iljo in only five to six days.

The TCR and China Railway Container Transport (CRCT) have direct contract with the China Railroad Authority, which will secure competitive rates - albeit based on an exclusive monopoly. The process will ensure a less worrisome clearance system at each port in China, which will enhance the ability to solve problems in border transshipments.

The rail service will establish a custom service infrastructure by creating a local office for customs clearance and storage. The two will work through local subsidiaries and branches in central Asia.

The railway will allow the open-top, flat rack, and other special container truck transportations available.

Outside of the advantages and strengths listed, there are some precautions to be taken. For example, items subject to restrictions and fare differentials must be checked in advance.

Non-ferrous metals, heavy machinery, excavators, coils, batteries, tyre guns, and more are all examples of the versatility of TCR service.

Other precautions include the need to pay attention to bias when transporting by rail. The waiting time can occur in China if one TEU is booked and two cars are released. There is also a required x-ray cargo inspection when entering the Kazakhstan.

Although the creation of the TCR in its current form is recent, it has taken a long time to get here, starting with its first route in 1992, the West China Line.

Three years later, in 1995, it established the headquarters of Seohung Logistics Co and formed the Tianjin branch line.

In 2001, the company made its own containers for Seohung Logistics, and then created an Almaty line into Kazakhstan.

In 2002, TCR established the Tashkent branch office in Uzbekistan, participated in the international meeting of Silk Road in Lianyunga and joined the Beijing International Rail Transport Association.

In 2004, TCR2 created the Lianyungang Corporation in China, and signed a contract with the Kazakhstan Railways Agency for KTS.

In 2017, TCR block train seminars for Europe were held in Seoul and Tokyo with the start the TCR block train service for Europe from Korea.