First Trains Depart From Chongqing and Chengdu Following Pasifik Eurasia and China Railway Agreement

A new milestone has been reached to strengthen the strategic depth of the Middle Corridor between China and Türkiye. The first trains under the agreement signed last month between Pasifik Eurasia—Pasifik Holding’s international logistics company—and China Railway, have departed from Chongqing and Chengdu, located in southwest China. These two cities, planned to be merged into a future megapolis with a population of 100 million and directly governed by the central authority, hosted separate departure ceremonies at their respective logistics hubs. After covering approximately 3,500 km within China, the trains will reach Europe via Central Asia, the Caspian crossing, and Türkiye.

Following the ceremonies, Fatih Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board at Pasifik Holding, stated:
“Today, we dispatched one train each from Chongqing and Chengdu—China’s major production and logistics hubs—to Türkiye. These trains carry not just containers, but vision, trust, strategy, and a shared future. As Pasifik Eurasia, we are leading the transformation of China–Europe logistics to flow through Türkiye. The Middle Corridor is no longer just an idea. Step by step, it is becoming a real corridor.”

Erdoğan noted that the process started with trial runs and culminated in signed agreements following extended negotiations with China Railway:

“We have long explained to our Chinese counterparts that in order for the Middle Corridor to reach its true potential, transportation must be organized through Türkiye. We invited them to witness our infrastructure firsthand. In May, together with the Ministry of Transport, we visited China and held productive meetings. After successful trial shipments, we officially signed our agreements with China Railway at the Global Transport Corridors Forum, hosted in Istanbul by the Ministry and sponsored by Pasifik Holding. These two trains mark the beginning of a new phase, and also represent the first step toward our jointly set target of operating 1,000 trains annually. This beginning is also one of the concrete outcomes of the globally impactful Forum held in Istanbul. We believe this will make a significant contribution to our country, economy, and Türkiye’s vision of becoming a global logistics hub.”

Pasifik Eurasia, a subsidiary of Pasifik Holding, has already carried out numerous successful train operations between China and Türkiye. The July 9, 2025 departure ceremonies in Chongqing and Chengdu represent a new institutional milestone in this partnership, transforming direct railway connections from China’s inland regions to Türkiye into a permanent model of integration.

The route provides significant cost and time advantages while strengthening regional integration. The strategic partnership between Türkiye and China is shaping the geo-economic future of the Middle Corridor.