Haoji was built as a dedicated coal trunk line of roughly 1,800 kilometres. Where coal traffic previously depended on moving west to east and then south by sea, this route crosses the country overland from north to south, and that defines its character.

The 100,000-train figure reads as an indicator that service frequency has settled. Reaching that scale requires steady tonnage per train and a consistent round-trip cycle.

The practical significance lies in giving freight a second path. When sea freight rates rise or ports congest, an overland alternative raises supply security in the summer and winter peaks when power demand concentrates.

Growth in rail freight is also discussed in emissions terms against road haulage. China has set the shift of bulk cargo to rail as a policy goal, and this count falls within that programme.

Logistics hubs and transfer facilities have been built along the route. How the share of general cargo beyond coal develops is the next thing to watch.