First China-Europe freight train route links N.China's Hebei with Czech launched

A freight train bound for Hamburg, Germany is ready to depart at the Shijiazhuang international land port in north China's Hebei Province, on April 17, 2021.  (Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/Xinhua)

A China-Europe freight train loaded with 100 TEUs of export goods departed from the international land port of Shijiazhuang, capital of North China's Hebei Province, on Monday for Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, marking the first freight train route connecting Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Czech, reported Chinanews.com Monday.  

Jointly operated by China-CEEC SME Cooperation Zone in Cangzhou, Hebei Province, and Shijiazhuang International land port, the freight train is expected to travel a total of 9,854 kilometers for 18 days before arriving in Prague after passing through countries and regions including Mongolia, Russia, Belarus, and Poland.

While promoting bilateral economic and trade cooperation between the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), the operation of the freight train service will also strengthen bilateral cooperation on infrastructure and production capacity, and promote the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to Gao Xiang, general manager of Jiou Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd of Hebei Land Port Group.

As of December 12, the Shijiazhuang International land port has handled 469 China-Europe freight trains this year, with a total of 46,208 TEUs of cargoes transported in the period, surging 165 percent, and 163 percent year on year, respectively.