A view of the Datong Economic and Technological Development Zone.
The first "Datong–Tashkent" Central Asia freight train sounds its horn and heads into the distance.
Datong Yungang International Airport.
A bustling scene inside the Datong International Land Port Bonded Logistics Center (Type B) park.
A 3,800-ton dry bulk carrier built by Huayuan Land Port Datong Company for a German client.
The equipment manufacturing park in the Datong Economic and Technological Development Zone.
The pharmaceutical park in the Datong Economic and Technological Development Zone.
The general aviation park in the Datong Economic and Technological Development Zone.
An exterior view of the Datong Economic and Technological Development Zone.
International routes from Datong Yungang International Airport are expanding across the skies, high-speed rail lines are racing across the land, the first vessel launched by Huayuan Land Port is sailing toward Europe, and China-Europe Railway Express services from Datong have surpassed 52 trips — a new chapter of the Silk Road is unfolding.
In recent years, Datong has embraced transformation and pursued new opportunities by strengthening transportation networks, expanding international trade, and integrating culture and tourism. Through these efforts, the city is accelerating its development into a new hub for opening-up in inland China.
Accelerating Air and Land Connectivity
Building New Channels for Global Engagement
The foundation of openness begins with efficient connections. As air routes continue to expand and land-based logistics networks reach farther, Datong is leveraging two major gateways — aviation and land ports — to strengthen its links across mountains, seas, and borders.
Expanding Air Routes to Connect with the World
In the skies above Datong, international routes are rapidly taking shape.
With the summer travel season approaching, Datong Yungang International Airport will soon resume two international passenger routes to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Seoul, South Korea. The expansion will further broaden the city’s international aviation network and provide fresh momentum for the peak summer tourism season.
Looking back at 2025, it marked a year of rapid growth for Datong’s aviation gateway. International and regional routes connecting Datong with Bangkok, Thailand; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Seoul, South Korea; and Moscow, Russia, were launched successively. Increasing flows of passengers and cargo have transformed these routes into “air corridors” linking Datong with East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Europe.
Data highlights this remarkable progress. In 2025, Datong’s aviation port recorded more than 50,000 inbound and outbound passengers, reaching a historic high since the port officially opened in 2013. From simply “taking flight” to reaching farther destinations, Datong’s aviation network continues to expand, strengthening the city’s internationally oriented economy.
Rail Connections Carry Datong Toward Global Markets
On land, freight trains continue to move forward.
If the aviation gateway represents the “wings” that carry Datong into the sky, then Huayuan Land Port serves as the “artery” connecting the city with the global logistics network.
In 2025, theDatong–Tashkent Central Asia Freight Traindeparted from Pingwang Railway Station and arrived at Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. In recent years, trains loaded with electrical equipment, 3D printers, and auto parts have traveled across deserts and grasslands, following the ancient Silk Road toward new destinations in the modern era.
This is more than a trade route — it is a “golden corridor” connecting Datong with the world.
In March 2026, a 3,800-ton dry bulk vessel sounded its horn and departed from Shanghai for Europe. It marked the first overseas voyage to Europe by Huayuan International Land Port (Datong) Group and achieved a breakthrough by making Shanxi Province’s first inland land-port enterprise vessel export to Europe.
Leveraging the Huayuan Land Port platform, Datong continues to strengthen the functions of bonded logistics, international freight trains, import and export trade, and cross-border e-commerce platforms, giving this inland city stronger access to global markets.
The latest figures demonstrate Datong’s rapid progress. From January to February this year, the import and export value of Datong International Inland Port Bonded Logistics Center (Type B) reached RMB 110 million, increasing 155 times year on year. Among China’s 89 bonded logistics centers, it ranked 43rd, with its ranking improvement placing fourth nationwide.
