China-Russia trade continues to grow despite sanctions, flight bans, and payment complexity.
Current realities
Reality 1: No direct flights
Stable route: Shenzhen/Shanghai via Central Asia/Middle East to Moscow. Transit: 7-12 days with mature DDP solutions.
Reality 2: Rail and truck are main options
China-Europe Railway (Xi'an/Chongqing/Chengdu to Moscow) in 15-20 days. Truck freight (Khorgos via Kazakhstan to Russia) in 12-18 days. Best for equipment and bulk cargo.
Reality 3: RMB settlement and compliance
SWIFT restrictions have pushed trade to RMB and ruble settlement. Professional forwarders handle EAC certification and CU-TR declarations.
Four criteria for choosing a Russia forwarder
- Stable air transit capacity or truck fleet resources
- Expert in EAC and CU-TR regulations
- Supports RMB and ruble settlement
- Provides DDP door-to-door across all Russia