At 00:30 on May 14, under the supervision of the Xingsha Customs Authority, a China-Europe freight train loaded with tea, automobiles, mechanical and electrical equipment, and other goods departed from the Changsha International Railway Port. The train is scheduled to arrive in Moscow 15 days later. From January to April this year, Changsha handled 445 inbound and outbound China-Europe freight trains, a year-on-year increase of 58.4%.

"In the past, automobiles were exported by sea, which usually took 45 to 60 days. Now it only takes about 15 days to transport them via the China-Europe freight train service, which provides enterprises with a cheaper and more efficient overseas shipping option," said Li Fang, manager of Geely Automobile International Sales Company. She added that Geely has exported 110,000 vehicles via China-Europe freight trains since the beginning of this year, up 28% from the previous year.

The China-Europe (Changsha) freight train service has been in operation for 10 years and its scale has been expanding steadily. Currently, there are 14 regular routes, with trains running between nearly 30 countries and regions in Eurasia. In 2023, Changsha handled more than 1,000 China-Europe freight trains, hitting a record high and standing at the national forefront for five consecutive years. An increasing number of advanced manufacturing enterprises in Hunan choose to export their products via China-Europe freight trains, which are dubbed as the "iron and steel camel team on the silk road". 

"The safe, stable, smooth and efficient logistics service system provides a strong guarantee for the 'going global' of automobiles, and the China-Europe freight train service has become one of the best choices for Hunan's manufacturing enterprises to explore overseas markets," said Wu Weiheng, deputy general manager of Zoomlion Overseas Company.

Source: en.changsha.gov.cn