China Railway’s Revised Rail-Freight Regulations Take Effect

What changed

China Railway Group’s revised rail-freight regulations took effect on October 1, 2026. The rules change four important terms:

• The party loading the goods determines their weight, while the carrier may recheck it.
• Compensation for delivery beyond the agreed deadline goes to the consignor rather than the consignee.
• Claims for compensation or fee adjustments can be filed within three years, up from 180 days.
• Perishable goods now have a two-day delivery allowance beyond the stated transit period, down from three days.

Why it matters

The new rules move more responsibility toward the party handing goods to the railway. Weight is now declared at loading, but the carrier keeps the power to challenge that declaration. That makes the loading record a more important point in any later dispute.

The change to overdue-delivery compensation also redraws the chain of accountability. Consignees no longer receive that payment directly under the stated rule; consignors do. At the same time, the longer claims window gives businesses substantially more time to seek compensation or recover fees.

Perishable cargo faces the tightest timetable. Its additional delivery allowance has been cut from three days to two, leaving less room when transport runs late. How widely these changes affect shipments, claims and day-to-day operations remains unclear.