Published by ChinaMNC · Nanqiao

Chuzhou’s Transport Build-Out: A Practical Guide for Foreign Founders Eyeing the Nanjing-Hefei Corridor

Chuzhou is investing heavily in rail, road, and port infrastructure to become a strategic link between the Nanjing and Hefei metropolitan areas. For foreign founders, this means improved logistics, talent mobility, and market access—but requires careful site selection and compliance planning.

Why Chuzhou Matters for Foreign Founders

Chuzhou, known as Anhui’s “eastern gateway,” has been positioned as a key node linking the Hefei and Nanjing metropolitan areas. The city’s eighth Party Congress set the goal of becoming an “important pivot” for the two circles, and the national “15th Five-Year Plan for Yangtze River Delta Integration” has included the “Nanjing-Hefei Metropolitan Area Science and Technology Innovation Linkage Zone” in national planning. For foreign founders, this means Chuzhou offers a lower-cost base with growing connections to two major economic centers—but success depends on understanding the local transport and logistics landscape.

Transport Infrastructure: What Has Been Built

Over the past five years, Chuzhou has invested more than RMB 56 billion in transport infrastructure. The total road network now spans 20,851 kilometers, including 790.5 kilometers of expressways—the highest in Anhui and third in the Yangtze River Delta. There are 42 expressway interchanges, second in the province. All counties and county seats are connected to expressways, and key towns can reach an expressway entrance within 15 minutes. Two projects—the Chuzhou Avenue section and the Dingyuan-Changfeng section of the Chuzhou-Hefei Expressway—have won the “Li Chun Award,” China’s highest honor for highway construction.

Water transport has also improved: the 87-kilometer Huai River channel has been upgraded to Class II, and the Chuzhou Port Master Plan has been revised and approved by the provincial government. Several terminals and locks are now operational, enhancing sea-river connectivity.

Rail and Intercity Links

The Chuzhou-Nanjing Intercity Railway, China’s first cross-provincial intercity rail, is operational. The Chuzhou section is 44.83 kilometers with 14 stations, running 144 trains per day with a 99.98% punctuality rate. In the first half of 2026, it carried 1.4655 million passengers. Once the Nanjing section is completed, travel time between Chuzhou and Nanjing will be cut to 35 minutes, enabling seamless commuting.

Additionally, the Chuzhou High-Speed Railway Integrated Passenger Transport Hub and the Ninghuai High-Speed Railway Tianchang Hub have been included in the provincial “15th Five-Year Plan” for transport development.

Logistics and Cost Advantages

Chuzhou aims to become the city with the lowest transport and logistics costs in Anhui. In the first nine months of 2026, transport investment reached RMB 9.07 billion, up 23% year-on-year. Sixteen transport projects have been selected for the Ministry of Transport’s “15th Five-Year Plan” project pool, with a total investment of RMB 28.22 billion. The city is planning 169 logistics projects with a total investment of about RMB 61 billion, following a layout of “one core, three belts, six ports, multiple nodes, and full coverage.”

For foreign founders, these investments can reduce supply chain costs. For example, the Chuzhou Port has opened nine customized routes and one premium route, with near-sea routes added through cooperation with ports in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shandong. The “port-industry integration” model has attracted leading companies like Flat Glass, Almaden, and CSG New Energy, reducing their logistics costs by over 10%.

Practical Implications for Company Registration and Operations

When setting up a company in Chuzhou, foreign founders should consider the following:

• Site Selection: Choose locations near expressway interchanges or railway stations for efficient logistics. The city’s goal of 15-minute access to expressways from key towns makes many industrial parks viable.
• Logistics Planning: Leverage the growing multimodal network. The “road-port-park” integrated transport hub in Dingyuan, part of a national pilot for cost reduction, can be beneficial for bulk commodities.
• Cross-Border Mobility: The Chuzhou-Nanjing intercity rail and extensive cross-provincial bus network (8 lines, 93 vehicles, 576 daily trips) facilitate talent movement. Foreign employees can benefit from integrated public transport using social security cards, with “same-city treatment” in the Yangtze River Delta.
• Compliance and Incentives: The city is actively seeking national and provincial funding for transport projects, which may translate into local incentives. However, foreign founders must navigate China’s foreign investment negative list and local registration requirements.

Challenges and Considerations

While infrastructure is improving, foreign founders should note that Chuzhou is still developing its international business environment. The city’s focus on reducing logistics costs is a positive, but companies must conduct due diligence on local partners and ensure compliance with environmental and labor regulations. The “15th Five-Year Plan” projects are ongoing, and full benefits will materialize as networks complete.

Conclusion

Chuzhou’s transport build-out creates tangible opportunities for foreign founders in manufacturing, logistics, and trade. By aligning site selection with infrastructure corridors and leveraging cost-reduction initiatives, companies can establish a competitive presence in the Nanjing-Hefei corridor. However, thorough planning and local expertise remain essential.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.