China’s north-west gateway is humming again. Figures released by the Xinjiang General Station of Immigration Inspection show that the region’s 17 land, rail and air ports processed 4.435 million traveller entries and exits in 2025—up 36.4 per cent year-on-year and the highest on record. Vehicle and train movements grew 26.6 per cent to 1.724 million, led by a surge in China-Europe freight trains and cross-border tourism buses.
The rail corridor was the standout: 43,000 international train services were inspected, more than any other Chinese province. Urumqi airport handled 35 per cent of all China–Central Asia passenger flights, solidifying its role as a regional hub. Authorities attribute the growth to “green channels” for agricultural imports, extended opening hours and online foreigner landing-card submission, which together cut clearance times by up to 40 minutes.
![Xinjiang ports record 4.4 million crossings in 2025 as rail links to Central Asia boom]()
For supply-chain managers, the data confirm that Xinjiang is no longer a bottleneck. Automotive exporters moved 178,000 finished vehicles through the region under a new drive-through customs scheme, while tourism agencies report that group bookings for border sightseeing loops doubled.
Beijing is expected to replicate Xinjiang’s pre-arrival rail-manifest system at other land ports in 2026, a development that could further accelerate Eurasian trade and mobility.
The rail corridor was the standout: 43,000 international train services were inspected, more than any other Chinese province. Urumqi airport handled 35 per cent of all China–Central Asia passenger flights, solidifying its role as a regional hub. Authorities attribute the growth to “green channels” for agricultural imports, extended opening hours and online foreigner landing-card submission, which together cut clearance times by up to 40 minutes.
For supply-chain managers, the data confirm that Xinjiang is no longer a bottleneck. Automotive exporters moved 178,000 finished vehicles through the region under a new drive-through customs scheme, while tourism agencies report that group bookings for border sightseeing loops doubled.
Beijing is expected to replicate Xinjiang’s pre-arrival rail-manifest system at other land ports in 2026, a development that could further accelerate Eurasian trade and mobility.
Source: Guangming Daily
