The New Silk Road connects China and Europe via an extensive rail and logistics network, spanning key transit cities across China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, and Poland. Below are the main hubs along this route.
Xi’an (China) – the starting point of the historic Silk Road
Xi’an, once known as Chang’an, marked the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road over two thousand years ago. Today, the city is world-famous for the Terracotta Army guarding the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
Modern Xi’an has transformed into a major technological hub, home to aerospace and electronics giants. Its inland port handles more freight trains to Europe than any other Chinese city. The Muslim Quarter remains a culinary highlight, reflecting centuries of cultural exchange with the Middle East. In 2023, Xi’an hosted the China–Central Asia Summit, underscoring its diplomatic importance. The city is now investing billions in the “Digital Silk Road,” positioning itself as a major center for e-commerce trade.
Chongqing (China) – the mountain city and industrial hub
This massive municipality is considered the world’s largest metropolis by administrative area. Chongqing is known as the “Mountain City,” which has led to remarkable architectural solutions, including a metro line running through the middle of a residential building. It is a key departure point for freight trains heading to Germany, initiated by the Yuxinou railway route in 2011.
The city is a global leader in laptop manufacturing — every third laptop in the world is produced here. Due to frequent fog and high humidity, Chongqing is often called the “Fog Capital of China.” It is famous for its extremely spicy cuisine, especially the local Sichuan pepper hot pot known nationwide. Located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, Chongqing is the most important inland river port in China. The city features unique public elevators and escalators serving as elements of urban transport between different elevation levels. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in China and a driving force behind the development of western provinces. Modern skyscrapers stand alongside traditional stilt houses, creating a cyberpunk-like cityscape.
Chengdu (China) – the capital of pandas and cuisine
Chengdu is the global capital of the Giant Panda, home to the world’s largest research and breeding center for these animals. The city is known for its relaxed atmosphere and tea-drinking culture in numerous public parks. Chengdu is home to the New Century Global Center, the largest building in the world by floor area, which even contains an artificial beach.
As the capital of Sichuan Province, it was the first city in Asia to receive the UNESCO City of Gastronomy title. Chengdu is also a key railway hub, with freight trains departing daily directly to Łódź in Poland. The city focuses strongly on high-tech industries, attracting more than half of Fortune 500 companies. Chengdu is also an important financial center aspiring to become the western counterpart to Shanghai. Luxury shopping districts such as Taikoo Li are integrated into historic temple architecture. Residents are famous for their love of mahjong, played virtually everywhere — even on streets flooded after rain.
Yiwu (China) – the global hub for small commodities
Yiwu is a city that unofficially controls the global market for small commodities and inexpensive goods. It is home to China Commodities City, the world’s largest wholesale market, which would take weeks to walk through entirely. It is estimated that up to 60% of Christmas decorations sold worldwide may originate from factories in Yiwu. The world’s longest railway freight route, connecting Yiwu with Madrid in Spain, begins here.
Yiwu is not a typical tourist metropolis but rather a gigantic workshop and exhibition center for merchants from across the globe. The city hosts large Arab and Indian communities, making it one of the most multicultural places in China. Trade fairs held here annually attract hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs seeking new market trends. Yiwu symbolizes the evolution of the “Made in China” concept, shifting from cheap production toward advanced logistics. Thanks to the New Silk Road, goods from Yiwu reach Europe in less than three weeks, a breakthrough for e-commerce. Nearly every building in the city serves as a warehouse or trading office.
Lanzhou (China) – the strategic gateway of the Hexi Corridor
Lanzhou is the only provincial capital in China through which the mighty Yellow River (Huang He) flows directly through the city center. It is a strategic bottleneck along the land route, located at the narrowest point of the Hexi Corridor. The city is famous nationwide for Lanzhou Lamian — hand-pulled noodles served in aromatic beef broth.
Historically, it was a key crossing point for caravans heading toward Central Asia and India. Today, Lanzhou is a major petrochemical industry center and a railway hub linking eastern China with Tibet and Xinjiang. Large traditional waterwheels, once used for irrigation with Yellow River water, can still be seen here. Surrounded by rugged mountainous terrain, Lanzhou has a distinctive austere character. The Lanzhou New Area economic zone is rapidly developing, built largely from scratch in desert surroundings. The city serves as a supply base for infrastructure projects deep within the continent and is also an important academic center with strong universities specializing in nuclear physics and ecology.
Urumqi (China) – the last logistics hub before Kazakhstan
Urumqi is considered the most inland city in the world, located farther from any sea or ocean than any other major urban center. It is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the last major logistics hub before the border with Kazakhstan.
The city is a fascinating blend of Chinese and Central Asian cultures, visible in its architecture and bazaars. The Grand Bazaar in Urumqi is among the largest of its kind in the world, offering silk, spices, and musical instruments. The climate is extremely continental, with freezing winters and hot, dry summers. Urumqi is a key energy center, servicing pipelines transporting natural gas from Central Asia into China. Massive wind farms surrounding the city are among the largest in this part of Asia. Residents use both Mandarin and Uyghur, and signage throughout the city is bilingual. Despite its harsh surroundings, Urumqi features a modern city center with skyscrapers and an extensive metro network. It is here that goods are finally sorted before leaving China for Europe.
Dostyk (Kazakhstan) – a strategic dry port
Dostyk is a small border settlement functioning as a “dry port” of critical importance to global trade. The name “Dostyk” means “friendship” in Kazakh, symbolizing relations with China. This is where the first change of rail gauge takes place, from the Chinese standard to the wider post-Soviet track system. The town lies in the famous Dzungarian Gate, a mountain pass known for some of the strongest winds in the world. Because of these winds, containers must be secured with special systems to prevent them from being blown off platforms. Infrastructure in Dostyk is continuously expanding to reduce train waiting times, which once lasted several days. Although only a small population lives here, goods worth billions of dollars pass through its terminals annually. The surrounding landscape resembles a harsh, almost lunar Kazakh steppe. Dostyk is the logistical heart of both the Trans-Caspian and Northern corridors, with terminal operations running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of extreme weather conditions.
Almaty (Kazakhstan) – the cultural and financial center of the region
Almaty served as Kazakhstan’s capital until 1997 and remains the country’s largest city and cultural center. The city’s name derives from the word alma (apple), as the region is considered the genetic homeland of all apple trees in the world. Located at the foot of the majestic Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, Almaty offers stunning views from nearly every street. The city is home to Medeo, the highest-altitude ice skating rink in the world, and the luxury ski resort Shymbulak. Almaty is a key financial center for the New Silk Road in Central Asia. Strong Soviet influences blend with a modern, Western-style lifestyle. The Ascension Cathedral, built entirely of wood without nails, is one of the tallest wooden religious buildings in the world. Surrounded by beautiful national parks, the city attracts trekking and nature enthusiasts. Almaty also serves as a hub for technology and start-ups supporting the digitalization of transport corridors. Thanks to its café culture and vibrant nightlife, it is often called the “Paris of Central Asia.”
Astana (Kazakhstan) – the futuristic capital
Astana is one of the youngest and most modern capitals in the world, built almost from scratch in the middle of the steppe. The city is famous for futuristic architecture designed by world-renowned architects such as Norman Foster. Its symbol is the Baiterek Tower, representing a tree of life topped with the mythical bird Samruk’s egg. Astana is the coldest capital in the world after Ulaanbaatar, with winter temperatures regularly dropping below −40°C. The city features Khan Shatyr, the world’s largest tent structure, housing a shopping mall and amusement park. It was here in 2013 that China officially launched the land component of the Belt and Road Initiative. Astana hosts the Astana International Financial Centre, operating under a legal system based on British law to attract investors. The city hosted EXPO 2017, focused on future energy. Its architecture is rich in national symbolism and esoteric forms, giving it a distinctive identity. Astana continues to expand rapidly, symbolizing Kazakhstan’s ambitions as a regional leader in Central Asia.
Yekaterinburg (Russia) – a key hub of the Trans-Siberian Railway
Yekaterinburg is Russia’s fourth-largest city, located precisely on the border between Europe and Asia in the Ural Mountains. The city is known for its tragic history as the place where the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and his family were executed. Today, it is a major industrial center producing heavy machinery, steel, and military equipment. Yekaterinburg serves as a key hub on the Trans-Siberian Railway, forming part of the northern route corridor. The city’s Koltsovo Airport aspires to become a cargo hub between Asia and Europe. The Ural character of the city is reflected in numerous museums dedicated to minerals and gemstones mined in the region. Yekaterinburg is also an important academic center, home to one of Russia’s leading federal universities. The Iset Tower, the tallest building in Russia outside Moscow and Saint Petersburg, stands here. Major railways and highways connecting China through Siberia toward Moscow intersect in this city. Yekaterinburg is also known for its dynamic art scene and is often considered the capital of Russian rock and street art.
Moscow (Russia) – Russia’s logistics heart
Moscow is Europe’s largest metropolis, serving as Russia’s political and economic heart and a key transit point. A significant share of containers transported by rail from China to Western Europe passes through Moscow. The city invests heavily in the digitalization of logistics to accelerate customs procedures along the route. As many as eleven railway lines intersect here, making it the most important transportation hub in this part of the world. Moscow is a fast-paced city that never sleeps, offering luxury at every turn. Despite sanctions, it remains a massive market for Chinese consumer goods and electronics. Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, Moscow continues to be the place where key decisions regarding railway infrastructure linking Asia with Eastern Europe are made.
Minsk and Brest (Belarus) – strategic transit points
Minsk is a key stop on the route to the European Union, where corridors from Russia converge toward Poland and the Baltic states. The city is distinguished by monumental socialist-realist architecture, wide avenues, and vast squares. On the outskirts lies the Great Stone Industrial Park, the largest Chinese-Belarusian investment project along the route. The park has the potential to become a “city of the future,” concentrating high-tech factories and logistics centers. Minsk is known for its clean and orderly streets, often noted by visiting tourists. The National Library of Belarus, shaped like a rhombicuboctahedron (with 48 edges and 24 vertices, where one triangle and three squares meet at each vertex), is one of the country’s most recognizable buildings. The city is an important manufacturing center, producing machinery including the globally recognized “Belarus” tractors. Minsk also functions as a diplomatic center for the region, frequently hosting important international negotiations. Railway infrastructure around the city has been modernized to handle high-speed freight trains. For China, Minsk serves as a strategic gateway for distributing goods across Commonwealth of Independent States markets.
Brest is a city located directly on the Polish border and serves as the final stop for trains before entering the European Union. Its main historical attraction is the Brest Fortress, a symbol of heroism from World War II. The city has a specific microclimate and is considered one of the greenest cities in Belarus. Brest hosts a massive transshipment station where trains from China are prepared for border crossing. Trains often wait here for clearance to enter Poland, making the city a “waiting room” of the route. Brest has a long history dating back over a thousand years and has been the site of numerous unions and treaties. The city features a charming pedestrian street (Sovetskaya Street), where a lamplighter manually lights gas lamps every evening. Its borderland character makes Brest multicultural and open to cross-border trade. The city is investing in new container terminals to accommodate growing traffic from China. For many train drivers and railway workers, Brest is where trains are handed over to western partners.
Małaszewicze (Poland) – the “gateway from China to Europe”
Małaszewicze is a small locality in the Lublin Voivodeship that has become one of the most important places on the global logistics map. It hosts one of Europe’s largest inland “dry ports,” specializing in container transshipment. Here, trains from China change from broad-gauge to standard-gauge undercarriages, a complex and time-consuming operation. Małaszewicze is often called the “Gateway of China to Europe,” as approximately 90% of rail imports from China to the EU pass through this point. Terminals in Małaszewicze operate continuously, handling more than a dozen freight trains daily. Investments in expanding this hub are crucial for the Polish economy and supply chain security. Thanks to the New Silk Road, this inconspicuous village has become a global logistics cluster. Plans include building one of the most advanced railway traffic control systems in Europe. The region has gained hundreds of jobs in forwarding, customs, and transport sectors. Małaszewicze demonstrates how global trade can transform even the smallest communities.
