SZ-Europe freight train route hits 5-year milestone

A train laden with home appliances, electronics, and other products departed from the Pinghu South National Logistics Hub in Longgang District for Russia on Monday, marking the fifth anniversary of the operation of the Sino-Europe freight train service in Shenzhen.

A train adorned with banners celebrating the fifth anniversary of Sino-Europe freight train service in Shenzhen departs from the Pinghu South National Logistics Hub in Longgang District for Russia on Monday. Shenzhen Special Zone Daily

In the past five years, a total of 878 trains have run on the Shenzhen route, transporting more than 85,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods with a total cargo value exceeding US$3 billion, according to Shenzhen Shenguo Railway Logistics Development Co. Ltd.

The first train on the route departed Aug. 18, 2020, carrying machinery and electronic products across the Eurasian continent to Duisburg, Germany.

Over the past five years, the Sino-Europe freight train service network has expanded from a single route to 27 routes covering 47 countries and regions, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Russia. The total value of cargo transported on the Shenzhen route has increased for five consecutive years.

To date, more than 7,000 enterprises have used the route to transport home appliances, electronics, household goods, and footwear from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to countries and regions along the railway. It has also brought high-quality products from those countries and regions back to China, establishing a robust two-way trade channel.