China-Europe freight train service hits 100,000 trips

By Xinhua Published: Nov 15, 2024 07:19 PM

The 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, waits for departing at the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China, Nov. 15, 2024. The 100,000th China-Europe freight train departed from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Friday morning, a significant milestone in the development of the service that facilitates economic and trade exchanges between China and Europe. (Photo: Xinhua)

The 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, waits for departing at the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China, Nov. 15, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 15, 2024 shows the 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, departing from the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo: Xinhua)

The 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, departs from the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China, Nov. 15, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua)

A staff member prepares before the departing of the 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, at the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China, Nov. 15, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua)

The 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, waits for departing at the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China, Nov. 15, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 15, 2024 shows the 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, departing from the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo: Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 15, 2024 shows the 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, at the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo: Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 15, 2024 shows the 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, departing from the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo: Xinhua)

Staff members pose for a photo in front of the 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, at the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, southwest China, Nov. 15, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua)

The 100,000th China-Europe freight train departed from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Friday morning, a significant milestone in the development of the service that facilitates economic and trade exchanges between China and Europe.

The train, fully loaded with a diverse array of goods such as electronic products, vehicles and auto parts, mechanical components, and household appliances, is expected to arrive in Duisburg, Germany, in just over 10 days.

"The China-Europe freight train service enables more high-quality Chinese products to reach overseas markets faster and at lower transportation costs, while also creating a new gateway for foreign businesses to enter the Chinese market," said Zhang Xiaolong from Yuxinou (Chongqing) Logistics Co., Ltd.

In March 2011, the China-Europe freight train (Yuxinou) service was launched from Chongqing to Duisburg, establishing a direct overland trade corridor between China and Europe.

Over the past 13 years, the service has transported over 11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) containers of goods, valued at more than 420 billion U.S. dollars.

Its operational efficiency has significantly improved, with the time needed to complete 10,000 trips reduced from seven and a half years to just six months, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

So far, the China-Europe freight train network has expanded to 227 cities in 25 European countries and over 100 cities in 11 Asian countries.

The variety of goods transported has also greatly diversified, growing from a few categories like electronics to over 53 categories and more than 50,000 types of products. High-tech and high-value-added items, including China's new energy vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products, have increasingly become a part of the cargo, making their way to global markets via this service.

The service is widely seen as a vital "stabilizer" for Asia-Europe trade and economic ties.