Optimizing logistics hub selection in the integrated network of the China-Europe Railway Express and New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor

Although the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) and China-Europe Railway Express (CR Express) have grown rapidly, few studies have proposed a unified approach to logistics hub selection that integrates these two corridors. This study addresses this research gap by conducting a comprehensive analysis of an integrated network, aiming to identify optimal logistics hubs that minimize costs and enhance environmental benefit. We first establish an initial logistics hub network consisting of 37 cities, chosen through a rigorous three-criterion screening process. Following this, we develop an evaluation indicator system that combines socio-economic metrics with network topology importance. Using an improved entropy-weighted TOPSIS model, we rank these cities to create a shortlist of candidate logistics hubs. Based on this ranking, we then formulate a logistics hub selection model tailored for both the CR Express and ILSTC networks, taking into account multimodal transport, congestion, and carbon emissions associated with hub operations. Our findings suggest that Chongqing, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Shijiazhuang, Urumqi, and Nanning are optimal logistics hubs within the integrated network. Comparative analysis demonstrates that this integrated approach to hub selection not only optimizes cargo transportation routes but also significantly enhances cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency, while meeting both economic and environmental goals.