A China-Europe freight train leaves from Chengdu International Railway Port in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province for Ma?aszewicze in Poland, on November 28, 2025. Photo: CCTV News

On Friday afternoon, the No. X8086 China-Europe freight train departed from the Chengdu International Railway Port in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province for Małaszewicze in Poland. The departure marked a milestone, as the cumulative number of China-Europe freight trains has now exceeded 120,000, with the total cargo value transported surpassing $490 billion, the Global Times learned from China Railway Group Co, the route's operator.

These achievements highlight the expanding role of the freight train services in facilitating China-Europe economic and trade exchanges and demonstrate the robustness and reliability of China's supply chains, analysts said. 

Domestically, the network operates 94 scheduled lines with a speed of 120 km per hour across three primary corridors - the west, east, and middle - and uses six international border ports: Alashankou, Khorgos, Erenhot, Manzhouli, Suifenhe and Tongjiang, according to China Railway.

Abroad, the service has evolved into a multi‑route network with three parallel corridors - northern, central and southern. From January to October 2025, the group recorded 371 train departures along overseas routes, a year‑on‑year increase of 33 percent, according to China Railway.

The range of goods transported by the China-Europe freight trains has expanded significantly, now encompassing more than 50,000 items across 53 categories. Among them, high value exports such as automobiles and auto parts, machinery, and electronic and electrical equipment have become major cargo sources. The express service enables the "new trio" - new-energy vehicles, solar batteries, and lithium-ion batteries - to reach Eurasian markets by freight trains.

As a flagship project and landmark brand of the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Europe freight trains have built a comprehensive logistics network across Eurasia, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The freight rail network has expanded extensively in recent years. To date, the trains have linked 128 Chinese cities with 232 cities in 26 European countries and to more than 100 cities in 11 Asian countries. Analysts said the continued expansion of the China‑Europe freight train system is injecting new momentum into high‑quality Belt and Road cooperation and China's broader opening‑up efforts.

Global Times