China Launches First Multimodal TIR Transport Route

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — China has launched its first international transport operation combining multimodal logistics with the TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) system, according to Xinhua.

On 27 March, a container truck operating under the TIR system departed from the Irkeshtam checkpoint in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, marking the country’s first “multimodal transport + TIR” shipment.

The cargo, consisting of 32 packages of Chinese-made auto parts, was initially dispatched on March 16 from Xi’an Xianyang International Airport in Xi'an. It was then transported by rail to Kashgar before continuing by road under the TIR system through the Irkeshtam border crossing, with its final destination in Uzbekistan.

The total delivery time from dispatch to border crossing amounted to 11 days, which is 3–5 days faster compared to traditional logistics routes.

A key feature of the new service is the integration of multimodal transportation with the TIR system and intelligent customs control mechanisms. This approach enables more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective cross-border logistics solutions, while also helping to reduce overall transportation costs.

The introduction of this model is expected to further expand multimodal transport routes from China to countries in West and South Asia, as well as Europe.

The Irkeshtam checkpoint, located in western China on the border with Kyrgyzstan, plays a crucial role as a transport hub linking Central Asia with other regions of Eurasia.