According to Marat Zembatov, Director, Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Institute of State and Municipal Management, Higher School of Economics; Member, Russian-Omani Business Council, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation; Expert, BRICS Business Council Group on Transport and Infrastructure; Ph.D. in Economics:
"Railway developments in BRICS nations during April 6–12 offer a nostalgic reminder of more stable times. While the Strait of Hormuz faces repeated disruptions—blocked, partially reopened, then blocked again— oil markets swing wildly in lockstep with each disruption (Brent crude at $95.20 and WTI at $96.57 on April 10; $102.80 and $105.00 respectively as of April 13). Meanwhile, Russia, Brazil, and China continue expanding both the speed capabilities and capacity of their railway network hubs.
By the end of the first quarter of 2026, Russian Railways' container traffic totaled 1.904 million TEU. In all objectivity (and certainly not for criticism), we should note that this is 2% below last year's level. In March, the network transported 679 thousand TEU. Simultaneously, coal exports in the eastern direction in March reached 11.1 million tons, which proved to be 6% higher than last year's figure. Taking into account domestic traffic via the Baikal–Amur Mainline and the Trans-Siberian Railway, 14.8 million tons of coal were dispatched to the eastern flank (growth of 10.3% compared to 2025). Cargo shipments to Far Eastern ports reached 10.2 million tons (growth of 11.6% compared to 2025). The structure of the current Russian railway economy is oriented toward the East. And this trend will continue to develop.
The container segment is developing amid fierce competition for capacity, which on the one hand leads to the implementation of innovative freight handling tools (containers in gondola cars, for example), and on the other hand requires further improvement of traffic management on the network to increase the capacity of export and transit corridors. The Far Eastern Railway increased export container traffic in the first quarter by 10.9%. In export traffic, 8.4 thousand TEU were dispatched, while the total volume of container transportation on the line amounted to 325.7 thousand TEU. The largest commodity categories were chemicals and soda – 51.3 thousand TEU, industrial consumer goods – 46.3 thousand TEU, automobiles and components – 44.7 thousand TEU. This reflects a genuine shift toward cargo diversification and a move away from reliance on raw materials exports
Today, the throughput capacity of the Eastern polygon has been brought to 180 million tons, with actual cargo volumes at the control point already reaching 174.3 million tons. The system is clearly approaching saturation. Despite our network being among the world's most extensive, accommodating additional volume in the coming years will require structural upgrades to begin immediately. Growth in containerization represents one of the most promising developments for the network.
China entered April with a constructive agenda. Track laying began on the Chongqing–Wanzhou line. The railway is 251 km long, with a design speed of 350 km/h, running from Chongqing East to Wanzhou North. Thus, the assembly of China's high-speed rail national network continues at an accelerating pace. And HSR as a tool for spatial organization of the economy is acquiring independent significance. By the end of 2024, the country brought its operational railway length to 162 thousand km, of which 48 thousand km fell to high-speed lines. Investments in railway infrastructure in 2024 amounted to 850.6 billion yuan. In the first quarter of 2026, capital investments grew by another 5.1% compared to 2025 and reached 137.9 billion yuan ($20.2 billion USD). Such a pace of development is the best proof of the sustainably high role of the railway industry in China's national investment policy.
Overall, China significantly expanded its overland logistics westward in the first quarter of 2026, with the bulk of traffic flowing through the China–Europe Railway Express network. In January–February alone, the network completed 3,501 trains (up 32% year-over-year) and moved 352 thousand TEU (up 25% year-over-year). The standout performer was the trans-Caspian route from Xi'an to Baku via Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea, which handled 85 rail-and-sea services in the January–March period—a 150% increase compared to the same period last year. Transit times improved dramatically, dropping from around 20 days to 15 days on average, with the fastest shipments arriving in just 11 days.
At the start of 2026, China demonstrated that it is betting on a multi-corridor scheme: on January 1, a train from Xi'an departed for Azerbaijan with 50 standard containers, while a train from the Greater Bay Area went via Khorgos to Małaszewice in Poland with 110 TEU and with an estimated transit time of approximately 14 days. The entire picture of the first quarter boils down to one thing: China is expanding western corridors through real growth in train frequencies, containerization, and real reduction in delivery times.
Brazil is also advancing its railway network expansion, with the opening of the "17-Ouro" line in São Paulo on March 31. The 6.7 km line, featuring eight stations, connects Congonhas Airport to the existing "5 Lilás" and "9 Esmeralda" lines. Technically, it marks a significant milestone for São Paulo's metro system, introducing automation levels previously unseen in Brazilian urban transit: the line operates on CBTC technology with full UTO (Unattended Train Operation) capability—the highest automation standard for metro and monorail systems. The fleet of 14 five-car BYD trains accommodates 616 passengers per train (114 seated) with open gangways throughout. Each train is equipped with onboard batteries enabling up to 8 km of autonomous operation in case of power loss. With a minimum headway of 180 seconds, the line can handle 36,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
In Brazil, where the transport system has been built around highways for decades, rail transport has traditionally played a secondary role. This affected the structure of ownership, the quality of railway services, and the railway connectivity of regions in the country. But today Brazilian railways are beginning development in all directions. And this development begins primarily with a reassessment of the significance of rail transportation for the pace of national economic development. By the end of 2025, Brazilian railways transported a record 555.48 million tons of cargo. The government simultaneously is advancing eight auctions in the railway sector and announcing an investment package that over the life cycle of projects could reach 600 billion reals ($119.9 billion USD). It is gratifying that the São Paulo example shows how the general tendency of modernizing Brazil's transport economy is being realized, and the railway is once again becoming a tool of modernization.
Regardless of how tensions evolve in the world's geopolitical flashpoints—notably the critical chokepoints of maritime trade such as canals and straits—railways will continue to move cargo. The railways of BRICS nations therefore have substantial room for expansion, both in geographic reach and economic impact. Moreover, global trade has a valuable reserve of overland transit capacity embedded in railway networks that can—and inevitably will—be mobilized should disruptions occur in maritime logistics.
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