Poland will reopen its border crossings with Belarus on Sept. 25 after nearly two weeks of closure that stranded hundreds of China-Europe freight trains and disrupted shipments of goods ranging from electronics to wine. But Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned Monday that if tensions escalate, Warsaw would not hesitate to shut the frontier again.
The announcement offers some relief for traders, yet the closure has already snarled logistics on one of the world’s busiest trade corridors and exposed the fragility of the route.
Hundreds of freight trains were held up at the Brest crossing, including containers of European wine destined for China, with backlogs expected to take at least a week to clear even after traffic resumes.
The shutdown, imposed Sept. 12, followed Russian-Belarusian military drills and a drone incursion. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński had previously said the crossings would remain closed indefinitely “until the safety of Polish citizens is fully guaranteed.”
The move has effectively paralyzed the main China-Europe railway hub at Małaszewicze, Poland. According to Yicai Global on September 22, more than 130 China-Europe freight trains have been stuck at Brest in the past week. Even if crossings reopen, rail capacity will remain limited, and clearing the backlog of trains already at the border and en route will take at least another week.
International logistics company Hillebrand Gori, which specializes in wine transport, told Vino Joy News that the Poland-Belarus border is critical for the China-Europe Railway Express, with more than 90% of freight trains affected. For wine merchants reliant on rail, the impact is especially acute.
“We happen to have one container stuck in Poland! The release time is still unknown,” said Hu Xiaomin, deputy general manager of Bordeaux Vineam China, speaking from Chengdu. Bordeaux Vineam is a Bordeaux-based organic wine producer. Hu added that fortunately, their domestic stock is sufficient for now—otherwise the impact would be far more severe.
Operated by China Railway, the China-Europe Railway Express runs on fixed schedules, connecting multiple Chinese cities with destinations across Europe. Transit times are usually within 15 days, more than a month faster than sea freight. Although slightly more expensive than shipping by sea, its speed advantage makes it a preferred option for many traders. As of June 2025, the service had run more than 110,000 trains in total.
“For us in southwest China, the cost difference between rail and sea isn’t huge, especially since there used to be government subsidies, so we’ve always preferred rail for importing wine,” Hu noted. “But if stability continues to be an issue, we may have to shift some shipments to sea freight.”
According to Hillebrand, there are currently three main alternatives: rerouting via other rail lines that bypass Poland and Belarus, though with limited capacity; shifting to sea freight, which requires detouring around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and significantly lengthens delivery times; or switching to air freight, the fastest but also by far the most expensive option.
Vino Joy News will continue to track developments in China-Europe freight rail transport and advises European wineries and Chinese importers to closely monitor the situation and choose shipping methods with caution.
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