On September 22 at 9:00 AM local time, the upgraded Kraskino checkpoint in Primorye began processing traffic under a new scheme. During the first five hours, 137 trucks passed through it. In the same week, the Ministry of Economic Development published a forecast indicating that rail and road freight volumes will decline in 2026. We deliver containers from China via Vladivostok and closely monitor route developments. This news helps decide which port or border crossing to use for shipping in Q4.
If you are shipping cargo from China this autumn, calculate delivery times taking into account the chosen port and border crossing. Delivery to the Moscow region via Vladivostok takes 30–45 days. Book rail transport in advance and spot the container at the factory once the documents are ready.
12 lanes opened for trucks in Kraskino
The checkpoint is currently operating in test mode. Under the new layout, 12 lanes are open for trucks, and another four for international buses. During the first five hours, in addition to trucks, it handled 88 buses and over 3,000 passengers. According to Rosgranstroy, freight traffic through Kraskino has increased by about 15% since the beginning of the year, approaching 41,500 vehicles.
If you are transporting cargo by road from Northeast China to Primorye, there are now more lanes at Kraskino. However, while the facility operates in test mode, you should not plan your delivery schedules strictly based on its new throughput capacity.
Ministry of Economic Development forecasts decline in rail and road transport
According to the ministry's macroeconomic forecast for 2026–2029, railway network loading in 2026 will amount to 1,109.7 million tons, down 0.6% compared to 2025, while freight turnover will drop by 3.5% to 2.393 trillion t-km. In eight months, Russian Railways (RZD) loaded 734.1 million tons—0.6% less than in the same period last year. Road freight transport is forecast to shrink by 2.1% to 6.68 billion tons.
Among the three modes of transport, only maritime transport is projected to grow. The ministry forecasts that 40.5 million tons of cargo will be carried by sea in 2026 (+16.8%), with freight turnover reaching 95.1 billion t-km (+33.7%). By 2029, traffic volume in the baseline scenario will reach 48.2 million tons. The ministry attributes this growth to the Northern Sea Route, the icebreaker fleet, and the North–South corridor.
The forecast applies to the entire railway network and does not indicate whether congestion on the approaches to Vladivostok will ease. We do not expect that a network-wide drop will free up flatcars where container flow is expanding along with China trade; therefore, we book rail dispatch from the port well in advance, rather than on the day of vessel arrival.
Trade with China grew by 28%, VMTP sets new container handling record
Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui reported that bilateral trade turnover reached $185 billion in eight months, up 28% year-on-year.
Traffic growth is also noticeable in Vladivostok. According to FESCO, in August, the Commercial Port of Vladivostok handled a record 84,500 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit), while the FESCO China Direct Line handled 113,500 TEU in the first half of the year, an increase of 72%. Between 39 and 40 container trains depart from VMTP weekly, with container delivery from China to the Moscow region taking 30–45 days. FESCO plans to continue expanding carrying capacity between Chinese ports and Vladivostok.
There is a two-week difference between the minimum and maximum delivery times. If your cargo is seasonal, plan based on the upper time limit.
UTLC ERA shipments between China and Europe up by more than 20%
Alexey Grom, CEO of UTLC ERA, told InfraNews that the company's traffic between China and Europe in both directions grew by more than 20% over eight months. According to him, the share of transit in the operator's turnover recovered to 68–69% (compared to 95% in 2019–2020), with growth driven by instability on the maritime route from Asia to Europe. Trains are currently running at 780–800 km per day.
On September 21, the 3,500th Europe-bound train since the beginning of the year passed through the Chinese border crossing of Erenhot, transiting via Mongolia and Russia. In total, these trains carried 3.32 million tons of cargo—25.11% more than the previous year.
Transit trains use the same tracks and border crossings as other freight services. The more trains head to Europe, the tighter the schedule becomes on the rail segments handling your shipments as well.
Shipments largely unaffected by the week’s news
If you are transporting small LCL shipments by road via Kazakhstan, developments in Kraskino and the port of Vladivostok will not affect your route. For example, we delivered 900 kg of auto parts for a client from China to Moscow as consolidated cargo via Kazakhstan. Transit took 12–14 days. The railway forecast also does not affect such shipments, as they do not require flatcars in Vladivostok.
Nothing changes for those operating on fixed schedules who have already reserved space on vessels and trains through the end of the year.
FESCO reroutes Ankara cargo via Gebze to St. Petersburg
FESCO has changed the destination port for cargo from Ankara: containers still travel by train to the Turkish port of Gebze, but then move by sea to Saint Petersburg instead of Novorossiysk. The first batch of 40 TEU was dispatched on September 19. Delivery time is about 20 days. The route operates in both directions, including for Russian exports to central regions of Turkey. “We have adapted the logistics scheme for cargo from Ankara, maintaining the rail leg to Gebze while changing the destination port,‘stated German Maslov, Vice President of FESCO.
If your supplier is located in central Turkey and your warehouse is in Moscow or Central Russia, you can now consider the route via St. Petersburg with a lead time of around 20 days. Compare it with your current southern route before placing your next order.
Murmansk port to start handling grain, Port Alliance increases throughput by 13%
Stevedoring holding Port Alliance handled 29.2 million tons in eight months, up 13% year-on-year. Two-thirds of export cargo handled via the holding's terminals was shipped to China, India, and Turkey.
At the Murmansk Commercial Sea Port, part of the same holding, throughput fell by 14–15% over eight months due to reduced coal volumes. Starting in October, the port will begin handling grain and resume handling ferrous metals. Executive Director Pavel Oleynik estimates potential volume in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of tons per year, though noting this represents capacity rather than signed contracts.
Ports facing declining coal traffic are actively seeking alternative cargo. For exporters, this presents an opportunity to negotiate favorable stevedoring terms while the terminal is attracting new clients.
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan expand transit corridors
Kazakhstan aims to increase container transit along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route to 300,000 TEU by 2029. A representative of the Kazakh Ministry of Transport announced this target at a transport forum in Beijing, noting it represents a fourfold increase over four years. Volume estimates for 2025 vary: KTZ reported 42,000 TEU solely for China-to-Europe traffic, while the ARFC association calculated 76,900 TEU including all countries west of the Caspian Sea. Compared to KTZ's estimate, volume would have to grow more than sevenfold.
The Astara terminal of Azerbaijan Railways on the Iranian border handled over 537,000 tons in eight months—up 30% year-on-year. In August, throughput reached 76,000 tons compared to 51,000 tons a year earlier. Upon completion, terminal capacity will increase to 3.5–4 million tons per year. This serves as a vital link on the western branch of the North–South corridor, connecting Russia with Iran and India.
The Trans-Caspian route bypasses Russia. The terminal in Astara, conversely, develops routes from Russia to Iran and India. If you work with Indian suppliers, keep a close watch on this corridor's progress.
Positioning container to factory once documents are aligned
Customs clearance issues can arise while cargo is still at the factory: the container is already in transit, but import documents are incomplete. When we transported a 40-foot container of power tools from Ningbo via Vladivostok to Yekaterinburg, preparations began two weeks prior to dispatch. Our customs brokers requested an authorization letter from the trademark owner, selected the correct FEA commodity codes for each tool type, and arranged declarations of conformity. An empty container was delivered to the factory only after the paperwork was verified. Customs clearance in Vladivostok took just one business day.
Delivery to the Moscow region via Vladivostok takes 30–45 days. To calculate the timeline for your shipment, we need to know the port, border crossing, and document readiness. Send us your FEA commodity code and proforma invoice before placing your order with the supplier, and we will calculate customs duties and determine the optimal route for Q4 in advance.