Cargo trains transporting goods from central, southwest and south China across six countries to Europe will run regularly from April 8. The trains will travel along the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe railway, a key economic transport corridor that starts at Chongqing and links East and West.

The regularly scheduled cargo trains will be a new addition to the line, which previously ran trains reserved for special orders, particularly IT products.

"Products other than IT products are welcomed to take the ride to Europe," said Yang Liqiong, deputy director of Chongqing's Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology and head of the Municipal Logistics Office.

He added that a discount would be given depending on the amount of cargo. Each container costs from $ 5,000 to $8,000.

Since the first service in 2011, 95 train services have carried cargo worth more than $2 billion on the railway from Chongqing. The first return cargo service started from Duisburg, Germany, at the end of February 2013 and arrived in Chongqing on March 18.

Yang said more than 100 regularly scheduled trains will depart from Chongqing. Two trains each week will set out in April and May. From June to November, the number of the trains from Chongqing will increase to three each week.

All trains will leave from Chongqing Tuanjiecun station at 12:05 pm.

A total of 12 return cargos are planned in 2014, starting from May.

The train journey takes 16 days - 20 days shorter than shipping times - and costs a fifth of air transport.

The Chongqing-Europe link transports the city's goods, ranging from IT products, car parts, medical goods and electronics that are headed for European markets. The first return freight train carried high-end car parts.

Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan said "Chongqing takes advantage of the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe railway, the expanding air channel and the Yangtze River gateway to attract more international opportunities."

During the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in March, Chongqing's delegation proposed Chongqing as the start of the Silk Road economic belt and the hub of a 21st century maritime Silk Road, connecting Chinese inner land to the world.

The railway is the city's first advantage on the list. "Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe railway, heading northwest and connecting Chinese inner land Chongqing to Europe, travels 14 to 15 days, greatly reducing the cost of transporting goods from China's west region abroad," Mayor Huang said, adding that the route will attract foreign investment.

"Chongqing, at the center of China, has the perfect geographic spot. It also enjoys a convenient transporting hinge by road, railway, water and air," Huang added.

Contact the writers at tanyingzi@chinadaily.com.cn and luowanshu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/29/2014 page6)