Budapest: the fast-growing Central European gateway
Budapest has become the preferred arrival terminal for cargo bound for Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and the wider Southeast European market — a day's trucking closer to the Balkans than the German or Polish hubs. Service is anchored by a fixed Saturday departure from Xi'an, plus trains from Wuhan, Yiwu/Jinhua, Jinan, Pinghu and Chengdu.
Departure stations and transit times
| Departure station | Transit (station to station) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Xi'an | Standard 20–25 days; express timetable 16–18 days | Fixed Saturday departure to Budapest |
| Wuhan | 16–23 days | Scheduled departures |
| Yiwu / Jinhua | 18–25 days | Scheduled departures |
| Jinan | 18–35 days | About 4 trains per month |
| Pinghu (Guangzhou / Shenzhen) | 16–20 days | Scheduled departures |
| Chengdu | About 22 days | 18–20 trains per month on the Europe line |
Transit times are typical station-to-station figures; we confirm the next departure and cut-off at booking.
Service scope
- FCL 20ft / 40ft / 40HQ and LCL groupage to Budapest.
- Hungarian import clearance (duty and VAT) or T1 transit onward.
- DDP delivery across Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovakia, including warehouse appointments.
- Return capacity from Budapest to Xi'an — see rail freight from Hungary to China.
Frequently asked questions
How long does rail freight from China to Budapest take?
16–25 days station to station: express timetable trains from Xi'an run 16–18 days, standard trains 20–25 days, and southern hubs such as Pinghu run 16–20 days.
Is there a fixed departure day to Budapest?
Yes — Xi'an dispatches a fixed Saturday departure to Budapest on the Europe line, plus scheduled trains from Wuhan, Yiwu, Jinan, Pinghu and Chengdu.
Can you deliver onward to Romania and Serbia?
Yes. Budapest is our clearance and distribution point for Southeast Europe: after Hungarian clearance we truck to Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovakia on DAP or DDP terms.