West China city promotes freight train service to Europe

CHENGDU -- The number of China-Europe freight trains off from southwest China's Chengdu City will hit 1,000 this year, more than double last year.

The figure was released at the Belt and Road International Logistic Exchange and City Cooperation Congress being held in Chengdu.

More than 400 China-Europe freight train trips were made from Chengdu in 2016, which topped the freight train service among Chinese cities, according to Chen Zhongwei, a customs logistic official in Chengdu, at the meeting.

Chengdu has three freight train routes to Europe, including the middle line to Poland's central city of Lodz, the north line to Moscow in Russia and the south line to Istanbul in Turkey, he said.

"The freight trains have reduced Chinese cities' reliance on marine transport for export cargo and sped up the opening up for inland cities," he said.

He said the freight train service from Chengdu is expected to link up all European cities in five years.

The train service has also connected Chengdu with eight Chinese cities before going out of the Chinese border. While the number will increase to 11 this year, he said.

More than 1,000 business representatives from over 100 Chinese and foreign cities attended the three-day meeting which started Wednesday.