China's Aksu Prefecture launches first China-Europe freight train trip

The 2,000th China-Europe freight train heading to Krasnodar of Russia leaves the freight logistics center in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Fu Xiaobo)

Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has recently launched the first trip made by the China-Europe freight train.

A train loaded with 2,156 metric tons (tonnes) of concentrated apple juice departed from Aksu Station in Xinjiang on May 28. It will exit through Alataw Pass in Xinjiang and pass through Dostyk, Kazakhstan, before arriving at Kresty in Russia.

It will take about 12 days for the train to complete the 5,900-kilometer journey.

"In the past, we sent concentrated apple juice to Wuxi Railway Station in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, for assembly. Then we deliver the goods to Russia by China-Europe freight trains, which took about 23 days. The direct transport of the apple juice from Aksu to Russia has reduced the cost of re-transporting and shipping, which helps save manpower and material resources," said Li Judong, general manager of Aksu Hengtong Fruit Juice Co., Ltd.

It is learned that Aksu has enjoyed the long sunshine hours and large temperature difference between day and night, which is good for growing apples.

Aksu Hengtong Fruit Juice Co., Ltd. is the largest concentrated apple juice processing enterprise in Xinjiang, and its export volume has been increasing year by year. Since 2012, more than 80,000 tonnes of apple juice have been exported to Russia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other countries.