# SMGS (Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail)

*Last updated: 2026-06-26*

> When rail freight crosses into or between member states of the SMGS – the Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail – this multilateral treaty governs the shipment.

When rail freight crosses into or between member states of the SMGS – the Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail – this multilateral treaty governs the shipment. Covering CIS countries, Eastern Europe, China, and Mongolia, it standardizes waybills, liability rules, and customs procedures for all cross-border rail movements within its geographic scope. While functionally comparable to the European CIM Convention, the two regimes operate in distinct but adjoining rail networks, making transitions at interchange points a key practical challenge. Freight forwarders active on Eurasian corridors must be able to complete SMGS consignment notes correctly and handle liability claims under the agreement's rules.

**Source:** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMGS_Agreement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMGS_Agreement)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | SMGS (Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail) |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 103 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-26 |
| Source | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMGS_Agreement |

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