Jinan has made a leap toward becoming a modern logistics hub during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–25), driven by stronger international connectivity and a growing multimodal transport network.

China-Europe freight train services have been a key growth driver. In 2025, the city operated 1,252 China-Europe freight trains, ranking first in Shandong province, with a network covering 15 routes across 23 countries. Jinan expanded its international reach by launching its first TIR route to Moscow and supporting seven certified TIR enterprises.

Aviation has also seen major developments. Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport now operates 72 international and regional routes, including new all-cargo flights to Seoul, Bangkok, and Luxembourg, as well as three routes with fifth-freedom rights. In 2025, the airport had 797,000 inbound and outbound passengers and 47,000 metric tons of cargo. Since the introduction of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy in 2024, visa-free entries by foreign nationals have increased 269.5 percent year-on-year to more than 51,900.

Domestically, the railway freight center in Dongjia town has become a hub connecting Jinan with the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area and eastern coastal areas.

In 2025, container shipments on major domestic routes reached 58,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), while sea-rail intermodal totaled 36,000 TEUs, up 320.9 percent and 458.6 percent, respectively, from 2022. Meanwhile, with multiple routes now in operation, the revitalized Xiaoqing River recorded cargo throughput of over 700,000 tons in 2025.