Choosing the best route: China → Turkey by truck

Two main corridors connect China to Turkey by road. The Northern corridor runs China → Kazakhstan → Russia → Georgia → Turkey, covering approximately 8,500 km in 16–20 days. It offers faster transit but involves Russian transit permits and sanctions-related complexities. The Middle corridor runs China → Kazakhstan → Caspian Sea (ferry) → Azerbaijan → Georgia → Turkey, covering 7,000 km plus a Caspian crossing in 20–28 days. The Middle corridor avoids Russia entirely and has become increasingly popular since 2022. A third option via Iran (China → KZ → Turkmenistan → Iran → Turkey) exists but faces unpredictable border and sanctions issues.

Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, is the primary consolidation point for China–Turkey truck freight. Goods from coastal manufacturing hubs (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Yiwu) are transported to Urumqi by domestic trucks and consolidated into international loads. This makes sense when: (1) You have LTL cargo under 15 CBM that needs to be combined with other shipments. (2) Your goods come from multiple factories across China. (3) You want to reduce costs by filling a full truck before the expensive international leg. Urumqi warehouses offer free storage for 3–5 days during consolidation, and the city sits just 670 km from the Khorgos border crossing.

Choose the Northern corridor when speed is your priority and you have no restrictions on Russian transit. It is best for time-sensitive goods with a transit target under 20 days. Choose the Middle corridor when you need to avoid Russia, have flexible timing (20–28 days acceptable), or your destination is in eastern Turkey or the Caucasus region. For cost optimization, compare both corridors during your specific shipping window — Middle corridor rates can be 10–15% lower during peak Northern corridor demand. Always factor in the Caspian ferry variable: ferries from Aktau to Alat run 2–4 times per week with occasional schedule changes that can add 2–5 days.