A new freight train service linking Warsaw with Ganzhou was launched last week. It is one of many new links between Europe and China, but among the first linking eastern China’s Jiangxi Province with the European continent.

The first train was loaded with 41 containers of furniture, electronic goods, clothes and toys and traveled westwards through the Manzhouli border of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It followed recently launched services departing the province to Russia and several Central Asian countries.

New business

Ganzhou has been largely isolated from developments in rail freight traffic due to its remote mountain ranges, but has seen business develop as China invests heavily in its rail infrastructure within the scope of its broader Belt and Road project. The town is developing into an international cargo distribution center and railway links to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan are expected to be announced soon.

Equally, Inner Mongolia has witnessed a boost of rail freight services, hosting seven train routes between west and east while it saw the first Europe-China freight train pass through its port four years ago. Manzhouli is one of the two main terminals in this region, with 654 freight trains headed for Europe or China passing through in the first half of this year. This indicates a 33,2 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.