Representatives from Russia and China have signed an intergovernmental agreement for the double-track expansion of the cross-border line between Zabaikalsk and Manzhouli. The additional 12 km track built to the standard gauge of 1,435 mm is intended to increase capacity at a key border crossing for rail freight transport. In the future, this will allow trains travelling to and from China to operate simultaneously. Previously, services arriving from China utilised a single-track section leading to Zabaikalsk, where containers were transshipped onto broad-gauge wagons with 1,520 mm for onward transport through Russia. Construction work is set to begin shortly. The second track could be operational as early as 2027. According to reports, capacity on this section is projected to increase by 11 million t per year by 2030. Rail freight transport between Russia and China has doubled over the past five years, reaching 187 million t in 2025. According to local media reports, demand for the overland corridor via Russia and Belarus has surged by 40% following disruptions to maritime shipping, specifically in the Red Sea and, more recently, the Persian Gulf, which drove up the costs of sea transport.