WARSAW, June 26 (Xinhua) -- More than a decade ago, Filip Grzelak spent Christmas night at a border crossing, waiting for one of the first freight trains linking Chengdu in southwest China with Lodz in central Poland.
For Grzelak, the long wait was more than just a demanding work shift. It marked the beginning of a business partnership that his family believed would grow into a lasting connection.
"It required a great deal of effort," he recalled. "But it marked the beginning of cooperation that has continued to develop ever since."
That early optimism has since evolved into a vast logistics network spanning Eurasia.
Since the China-Europe Railway Express was launched under a unified brand in 2016, annual train journeys have increased nearly twelvefold, from 1,702 in 2016 to 20,022 in 2025, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.
The range of goods transported has expanded as well, now covering more than 50,000 products across 53 categories. In 2025 alone, cargo valued at 67.7 billion U.S. dollars was shipped via the network.
The railway's rapid expansion has also fueled the growth of logistics companies, terminal operators and related industries along its routes.
At a container terminal in Malaszewicze, about nine km from the Polish-Belarusian border, trucks streamed through the gates as cranes and handling equipment moved containers arriving from China.
The terminal, operated by Polish company Inbap, opened only about six months ago but already handles nearly 200 containers each day, the majority originating from China, according to the company.
"The terminal is developing very quickly," said dispatcher Kacper Szymanski, who has worked in rail logistics for eight years.
For Szymanski, the changes are evident in everyday operations: a growing workforce, more handling equipment and steadily rising cargo volumes.
Malgorzata Biegajlo, Inbap's container transshipment manager, said the business is generating opportunities beyond the terminal itself, benefiting trucking companies, customs brokers and a wide range of local service providers.
The activity in Malaszewicze reflects the broader expansion of the China-Europe rail freight network since companies such as Hatrans Logistics joined the early China-Poland rail services more than a decade ago.
Grzelak's father helped launch the Chengdu-Lodz rail connection in 2013. In those early years, operators had to build expertise in customs clearance, documentation, cargo tracking and coordinating shipments across multiple national railway systems.
More than a decade later, Hatrans has grown into an established Polish logistics company playing an active role in China-Europe freight services.
Today, the company serves clients across a broader network of Chinese cities, including Chengdu, Xi'an and Chongqing. Customs procedures and documentation have become increasingly standardized, while cargo tracking, transport security and terminal infrastructure have all seen significant improvements.
"The railway has been one of the key drivers of our growth over the past decade," Grzelak said.
Looking ahead, Grzelak believes the continued development of the China-Europe Railway Express will create new opportunities for businesses on both sides of the Eurasian continent, further strengthening trade links and supporting regional economic growth. ■