Comparison Analysis on Chinese Expressway and Railway Freight Transportation

Based on transport survey on expressway and railway, comparison analysis on freight of these two modes was conducted. Depending on Expressway Toll Database System, through sample survey on expressways and in vehicle annual safety inspection stations, freight volume, freight turnover, commodity value, commodity type and average haul distance were obtained. From the comparison analysis, the similarities and differences of these two modes were pointed out. The function of expressway is no longer "distribution", and average freight haul distance on expressway network is not limited to 500 km. Expressways mainly transport high-value small batch goods and railways mainly transport low-value bulk. As a relative independent system in road network, expressway network has become the backbone of comprehensive transport system, mainly shoulder inter-region long distance freight transport as the same with railway.