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The China-Europe Freight Train is a landmark achievement of the Belt and Road Initiative. Currently, 128 cities in China have launched these trains, reaching 229 cities across 26 European countries and over 100 cities in 11 Asian countries. On average, a train departs every half hour. The efficient, stable, and smooth operation of the China-Europe Freight Trains has not only built a bridge for economic and trade exchanges between Asia and Europe but also injected development momentum into countries along the routes.

The China-Europe Freight Train is a microcosm of China’s connectivity cooperation with the world. Whether it is the smoothly operating China-Laos Railway and the New Western Land-Sea Corridor trains or the under-construction China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, these new logistics channels have enhanced cross-border logistics efficiency, promoted personnel exchanges and trade, deepened industrial collaboration and value chain integration, driven industrial transformation and upgrading in relevant countries, and delivered tangible benefits to local communities.

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China-Europe Freight Trains with Full Timetable Surpass 1,000 Trips

Beijing, June 22 (Reporter Li Xinping) — According to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as «CR»), at 3:55 a.m. on June 21, the X8155 China-Europe Freight Train (Xi’an-Duisburg), loaded with auto parts, LED displays, and other goods, departed slowly from Xi’an International Port Station. This marked the milestone of over 1,000 trips completed by China-Europe Freight Trains operating on a full timetable.

A CR freight department official explained that these trains follow schedules agreed upon by railways of countries along the routes, with fixed departure, border crossing, and arrival times in both domestic and international segments. The first such train was launched on October 26, 2022. To date, three batches of full timetables have been implemented, expanding the routes to 11 and achieving a weekly operation scale of 17 trains.

«ASEAN Express» Return Trip Launches in Germany, Achieving Two-Way Operation Between Europe and Asia

Duisburg, Germany, June 21 (Xinhua) — At 9:40 a.m. local time on June 21, an «ASEAN Express» loaded with maternal and infant products, cosmetics, medical consumables, and other goods departed slowly from Duisburg, Germany. It is expected to arrive in Thailand, Vietnam, and other ASEAN countries in 19 days. This train will transit through Chongqing, marking the two-way operation of this new trade artery connecting Europe and Asia.

In March 2011, the launch of the China-Europe Freight Train fully connected China to Europe via a land-based international trade corridor. In September 2017, the predecessor of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor — the «Southern Corridor» train from Chongqing, Guizhou, and Guangxi to Singapore — made its inaugural trip from Chongqing, officially opening the new international land-sea trade channel jointly developed by western Chinese provinces and ASEAN countries. Today, the «ASEAN Express» seamlessly links the New Western Land-Sea Corridor with the China-Europe Freight Train, improving transport efficiency by over 50% compared to traditional sea freight.