China-Europe freight train opens gate for central China to integrate with the world

Containers of China-Europe freight trains pile up in Zhengzhou international Land Port, September 27, 2017. [Photo: China Plus/Huang Yue]

With a population of a little over 100 million people in an area of 167,000 square kilometers, Henan Province in central China has always been considered as the birthplace of Chinese civilization.

As the China-Europe international freight train departed from its capital city, Zhengzhou in July 2013, a gate seemed to open the central plains to other Asian and even European countries.

With over a decade of experience as a train engineer, 36-year-old An Chunlei was one of the first drivers when the China-Europe international freight train (Zhengzhou) started to run in 2013.

An is not the only driver on the 10,000-kilometer journey. He operates the first leg on this long route, and drives the train from Zhengzhou's Putian railway station to Zhengzhou north railway station.

An Chunlei, one of the first drivers when China-Europe international freight train (Zhengzhou) started to run in 2013. [Photo: China Plus/Huang Yue]

"For us train drivers, railway transportation is like a relay race. When we arrive at the assigned station, we will pass the baton to our colleagues, and they will change the locomotive and continue the journey."

Leaving the country through Alataw Pass in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the China-Europe train from Zhengzhou arrives in Hamburg, Germany by way of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland.

It is the first freight train connecting China's midland to Europe, and opens a gate for landlocked Henan Province to communicate with Central Asia and Europe.

Standing out from other international trains in China, the Zhengzhou one is not only fully loaded with goods to Europe, but also brings imported products on its return trip to China.

Yang Wenjun, vice general manager of Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Company says the service has been well received.

"We provide 'door-to-door' service, which is more convenient to our clients. The clients only need to sign an authorization letter to us, and then all the follow-up procedures, including picking up the goods, the paper work, loading and unloading, etc., will all be carried out by our own staff."

Yang adds that the combined transport is also an advantage of the Zhengzhou-Europe train service.

The trip usually takes about two weeks, with the cargo often including food and beverages, automobiles, medical equipment, and engineering machinery.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the land port in Zhengzhou in 2014 and said it should be developed into a logistics hub that connects China and the world and shares the benefits with the whole country.

As of late August this year, the number of runs between Zhengzhou and Hamburg had reached nearly 800, carrying products valued at over four billion US dollars.

Exports shipped on the train route represent 23 Chinese provincies and municipalities, while the imports hail from 47 countries and regions.