It brings a challenge to solve the passenger service-like railway container transportation optimization, because it is NP-hard. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model as well as an improved column generation algorithm with comprehensive using column and row generation techniques is proposed to optimize the train route, frequency, stop schedule simultaneously. A real-world instance of the backhaul railway network between China and Europe for China Railway Express is used to test our model and algorithm. Computational results show that our approach can solve these problems within reasonable solution time and small optimality gaps.