Russian coal exports to China by rail dropped sharply in January–April 2026 amid weaker demand and rail capacity limits.
In January-April 2026, Russian railway coal exports to China via border crossings dropped to 3.9 mio t (-1.5 mio t or -27.8% vs. Jan-Apr 2025).
The main reasons for the decline in exports to China via border crossings were limited demand from utilities and industrial consumers in China’s northern provinces, along with competition from coal supply on the Chinese domestic market.
On top of muted demand, Russian suppliers faced additional constraints from limited railway capacity towards Chinese border points. The situation underscores a deeper, systemic issue: a long-standing shortage of rail transport capacity on the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) and Trans-Siberian Railway has led to exports being heavily dependent on the infrastructure of a monopoly, which still lags significantly behind market requirements.
In January–April 2026, total Russian coal exports to China, including seaborne and overland deliveries, fell to 22.6 mio t (-4.8 mio t or -17.5% y-o-y).
Source: CCA
