China’s Ministry of Transport, together with 11 other government departments and China State Railway Group, issued the “Action Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of Multimodal Transport and Optimizing the Transport Structure (2026–2030)”. The plan aims to accelerate the development of multimodal transport, improve freight transport efficiency, optimise the national transport structure and reduce logistics costs.
Building an integrated multimodal freight network
By 2030, China aims to strengthen its multimodal transport system. Around 1,000 major freight nodes are expected to improve their multimodal transport functions, supporting the development of an integrated national network comprising major freight corridors, key hubs and broader regional coverage. The railway connection rate of multimodal transport areas at coastal ports is targeted to reach 80%, while the share of shipments achieving transshipment within one hour is expected to exceed 90%.
Connecting railways, ports and logistics hubs
The plan also promotes greater integration between different transport modes. It calls for improved connections between railways, ports, inland terminals, logistics parks and industrial zones, as well as the development of rail-sea, river-sea and other multimodal transport services. By 2030, 30 public inland ports are expected to complete functional upgrades, while 20 railway loading and unloading areas are planned to share facilities with port yards.
Using data and AI to coordinate transport
Digitalisation is another key component. The plan promotes data sharing among railway, road and waterway operators and aims to expand the use of electronic transport documents. It also supports the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in multimodal transport, including intelligent transport planning, demand forecasting, real-time monitoring and dynamic route optimisation. More than 10 AI application scenarios are targeted for implementation by 2030.
Shifting freight from road to rail and water
The action plan places particular emphasis on improving green freight and transport-structure. It promotes the shift of suitable bulk freight from road to rail and water, alongside the use of pipelines, enclosed conveyor belts and new energy trucks. By 2030, the proportion of clean transport for key industries, including thermal power, steel, coal, coking, aluminium and cement, in key areas is targeted to reach 85%. In major coal-producing regions, the railway share of long-distance coal and coke transport is targeted at around 95%.
Developing green freight corridors
The plan also supports the large-scale application of new energy heavy-duty trucks and the development of green freight corridors. It calls for cleaner transport solutions in major economic regions, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Overall, the action plan combines infrastructure development, digitalisation and cleaner transport modes. Its implementation could further accelerate the shift towards rail, waterway and new energy road freight, while improving freight efficiency and contributing to the reduction of logistics-related emissions.
Original policy: 交通运输部等十二部门关于印发《推动多式联运高质量发展 优化调整运输结构攻坚行动方案（2026－2030年）》的通知
