On July 4th, the first train of the "Zheng He" Sea-Road-Rail International Multimodal Transport Service departed from Kunming, Yunnan. 

Named after the renowned navigator Zheng He, this sea-road-rail international multimodal train is carrying 26 containers of Yunnan specialties, including vegetables, fertilizers, and animal feed. Departing from Zheng He's hometown of Kunming, it traverses the China-Laos Railway to Vientiane, Laos, and then divides into three routes to complete the transportation: 

Route One

Transfer to the Thai railway network to reach Changwat Saraburi in Thailand.

Route Two

Connect to road transport to Laem Chabang Port in Thailand, followed by sea freight to Singapore.

Route Three

Connect to road transport to Ranong Port in Thailand, then by sea to Yangon Port in Myanmar, and continue sailing to Chittagong Port in Bangladesh—this route establishes a new "Kunming to Chittagong" corridor.

Previously, under traditional modal transport, the over 6,000-kilometer rail-sea combined route from Kunming to Chittagong required railway transport from Kunming to Qinzhou Port, switching to maritime transit via the Malacca Strait to Chittagong in Bangladesh, taking nearly 40 days in total. The newly inaugurated route adopts a sea-road-rail intermodal approach, reducing the transit time to approximately 18 days for about 4,300 kilometers—more than a 50% increase in efficiency—and notably avoids passing through the Malacca Strait. This greatly enhances transport speed, significantly lowers logistics costs, and opens an efficient, convenient new pathway for "Yunnan Products Reaching Beyond Yunnan" and "Yunnan Products Going Global ." 

"The maiden voyage of the 'Zheng He' is not just a cargo transit but an excellent opportunity for Yunnan products to integrate into the global supply chain," said Tang Heng, General Manager of Yunnan Tengjin Logistics Co., Ltd. He emphasized that leveraging the China-Laos Railway and the Southern International Land-Sea Corridor, this multimodal service directly connects plateau products to international markets, helping Yunnan integrate into the global supply chain system and significantly enhancing the competitiveness and value chain position of 'Yunnan products'."

This train service works in synergy with the China-Laos-Thailand Railway "Kunming Dry Port" service, launched on November 19, 2024. As of May 2025, the "Kunming Dry Port" has operated 25 regular services, departing from Taohua Village Freight Station at Anning North Port of Kunming International Land Port, utilizing combined rail, road and sea transportation via the China-Laos-Thailand Railway to ultimately reach Ranong Port on Thailand's Indian Ocean coast. 

In recent years, Yunnan has continuously strengthened connectivity with neighboring countries' transport infrastructure and harmonized transportation regulations. The regional network now facilitates easier and more efficient international transport. Kunming has successively launched international freight rail links such as the "Shanghai-Yunnan Lancang-Mekong Express," "Yunnan-Guizhou Lancang-Mekong Express," and "Hunan-Yunnan Lancang-Mekong Express." Additionally, Kunming is developing bi-directional fast-track customs clearance modes such as the "Lancang-Mekong Express," "China-Laos Railway + China-Europe Railway Express," and "Cross-Border E-commerce + Railway Transport."

Yunnan, leveraging the breakthrough achievement of the China-Laos Railway, is forging an open economic pattern with Kunming at its core that extends eastward to the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, connects westward with the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor, radiates southward to ASEAN nations, and links northward with the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle. 

7月4日，“郑和号” 海公铁国际多式联运班列在云南昆明首发。

这趟以航海家郑和命名的海公铁国际多式联运班列，满载蔬菜、化肥、饲料等 26 柜云南特色商品，从郑和故里昆明出发，通过中老铁路抵达老挝万象后，再分成三条线路完成运输：

第一条线路

换乘泰国铁路到达泰国北标府；

第二条线路

接驳公路至泰国林查班港，通过海运到达新加坡；

第三条线路

接驳公路至泰国拉廊港，通过海运抵达缅甸仰光港，再继续航行至孟加拉国吉大港——此线路开辟了"昆明→吉大港"全新路线。

此前，通过传统模式，昆明至吉大港 6000 多公里的铁海联运，需要由昆明铁路运输至钦州港，再换装海运经马六甲海峡到达孟加拉吉大港，全程用时近 40 天。此次开通的新线路采用海公铁联运方式，可在 18 天左右完成约 4300 公里的运输。提高运输时效 50% 以上，且不需要经过马六甲海峡，极大提高了运输时效，有效降低了物流成本，为 “云品出滇”“云品出海” 开辟了高效便捷的新路径。

“‘郑和号’的首发不仅是一次货物运输，更是一次云品融入全球供应链的绝佳机遇。” 云南腾晋物流股份有限公司总经理汤恒表示，“郑和号” 依托中老铁路和南向国际陆海大通道，使高原物产直通国际市场，助力云南融入全球供应链体系，显著提升了 “云品” 的全球竞争力和价值链地位。

该班列与2024年 11 月 19 日开通的中老泰铁路 "昆明陆港号"形成协同效应——截至2025年5月，"昆明陆港号"已常态化开行25趟，从昆明国际陆港安宁北港桃花村货运站出发，通过中老泰铁路、公路、海港运输，抵达印度洋沿岸港口泰国拉廊港。

近年来，云南省持续加强与周边国家交通基础设施联通、运输规则沟通，交通网络内联外通，国际运输越来越便利畅通。目前，昆明已先后开通 “沪滇・澜湄线”、“云贵・澜湄线”、“湘滇・澜湄线” 等国际货运班列。昆明还不断打造 “澜湄快线”、“中老铁路 + 中欧班列”、“跨境电商 + 铁路运输” 等双向快速通关模式。

依托率先突破的中老铁路，云南正形成以昆明为中心，东连西部陆海新通道、西接孟中印缅经济走廊、南出辐射东盟国家、北上连通成渝双城经济圈的开放格局。