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Business trends

Nippon Express doubles China-Europe rail cargo as virus hits flights

Soaring air prices fuel demand for freight trains

Transporting cargo between China and Europe via rail now costs only a tenth as much as by air.

TOKYO -- Nippon Express, Japan's top logistics company, will double the freight trains it operates between China and Europe next year, eager to capture rising customer interest in shifting from air to rail.

The coronavirus pandemic has meant fewer planes in service, leading to a spike in air cargo prices. What used to be a fourfold difference between air cargo and rail cargo prices for a 5-ton shipment has now spiked to tenfold.

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