Nippon Express has launched "NEX Ocean-Solution China Land Bridge EJ (Europe-Japan)" — an intermodal rail and sea service from Europe to Japan via Taicang, China, that uses cross-border rail transport between Europe and China.

The intermodal service, launched on February 19, combines rail transport from Europe (Hamburg and Duisburg in Germany as well as Malaszewicze in Poland) to China (Xian) with marine transport from the Port of Taicang to major ports in Japan (Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe).

The lead time from various railway terminals in Europe to these major Japanese ports is 26-28 days.

In a statement, Nippon Express said the lead time is "substantially shorter" than that for "all-water" marine transport which is approximately 40 days.

"Lead time is shorter by about one week, and transport costs about 40% lower than for conventional rail & sea intermodal transport service from Europe via Dalian, China," it added.

Other intermodal services

Scheduled trains depart European rail stations bound for Xian Station twice weekly (on Wednesdays and Fridays), making it possible to link up flexibly with marine transport.

Nippon Express began offering cross-border rail transport service between China and Europe in November 2015 as a "third transport mode" between air and marine transport and established this as a viable transport means.

Intermodal transport service from Japan to Europe via Dalian, China, using China-Europe railways was launched in May 2018 and then complemented in September 2019 by sea & rail intermodal transport service via Xiamen (Amoy), China.

Nippon Express noted that the significant interest shown by customers in this "third transport mode" has prompted Nippon Express to consider developing services for other routes.