DHL Global Forwarding launches a multimodal Truckair service linking China and Turkey, enhancing logistics efficiency for European distribution.
DHL Global Forwarding has introduced a multimodal Truckair service connecting China and Turkey, with onward distribution to Europe, reported New York's Journal of Commerce.
The service combines road and air freight, moving cargo by truck from China to Tashkent in Uzbekistan, then by air to Istanbul. From there, shipments are distributed across Europe using multiple modes.
DHL stated that the service was launched two months ago, offering transit times of nine to 11 days compared to four to seven days for all air freight. The company highlighted the cost-efficient nature of the service despite the longer transit times.
Aditi Rasquinha, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Greater China, mentioned that demand for flexible and cost-efficient logistics solutions is rising, driven by growth in China-Europe and Asia-Europe trade. The European Union was China's second-largest trading partner in 2025, with bilateral trade increasing by 5.4 percent to US$716 billion.
DHL noted tight capacity and rising rates ahead of the Chinese New Year, with demand expected to peak in early February. The Truckair service is designed to provide predictable lead times and help shippers avoid short-term volatility.
DHL reported that customers, such as European retailers, have achieved six-digit savings over two months of using the service compared to all air freight.
Shippers without urgent time-to-market needs continue to utilize the China-Europe rail network, which in 2025 made approximately 34,000 trips and carried 3.17 million TEU, reflecting increases of 9.8 percent and 7.6 percent year over year. Freight on the New Western Land-Sea Corridor rose by 47.5 percent to 1.42 million TEU, according to the China State Railway Group.
