The nation's first! Round-trip scheduled train service throughout the journey

At 10:58 a.m. on June 27 local time, China's first full-time schedule return China-European freight train (Duisburg-Xi'an) departed from Duisburg Intermodal Terminal in Germany. It is expected to arrive at Xi'an International Port on July 9, with a total transit time of about 11.5 days.

Du Chunguo, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Düsseldorf, Zhang Wen, General Manager of China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd. Europe, Lars Nennhaus, COO of Duisburger Hafen AG, Tabea Klang, CSO of DB Cargo Eurasia GmbH, Gordon Matthes, Global Freight and Xu Qi, Head of the Overseas Office of Xi'an International Inland Port Multimodal Transportation Co., Ltd. attended the departure ceremony.

Du Chunguo, Consul General of China in Düsseldorf said:

Recently, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz jointly attended in Berlin the closing ceremony of the 11th China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum He said that under the current changing and turbulent situation, strengthening cooperation is the right way to mutual benefit and win-win results, and is also the right thing that the two sides should do with all efforts. Li Qiang also noted the necessity to take economic and technological cooperation as an important cornerstone of international cooperation, grasp the trend of economic globalization, firmly support free trade, and promote the common prosperity and development of humanity. Faced with the complicated international environment, China-Europe freight trains arriving at and departing from the Port of Duisburg firmly send positive signals that there are bright prospects for pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany and Europe, helping to promote policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds among countries along the route.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Ten years ago, an international train departing from Duisburg, which was the first return train from Europe to China, successfully arrived in China. Ten years later, a new train here will set sail for a new future.

China Railway Express (Chang'an) has written a new chapter for this wonderful story of pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany and Europe. The frequency of the newly launched full-time schedule train has been increased to two outbound trips and one inbound trip every week, with more diversified types of goods. The move further improves the reloading efficiency and the market competitiveness of the service.

Zhang Wen, General Manager of China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd. Europe, said:

The launch of the full-time schedule train service is credited to the market demand, the support and exploration of clients, and the concerted cooperation among railway companies in various countries. It marks the first time a China-Europe freight train ran on full-time schedule throughout the whole journey: the China section, the broad gauge section and the European section. The successful departure of the first import full-time schedule train will promote the high-quality development of the China-Europe freight train service.

Lars Nennhaus, COO of Duisburger Hafen AG, said:

The excellent service and stable transit time of China Railway Express (Chang'an) along many lines provide a strong guarantee for the timely arrival of clients' goods, leading to the departure of the full-time schedule return train. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with ITL Group and contribute to the Belt and Road cooperation.

Tabea Klang, CSO of DB Cargo Eurasia GmbH, said:

Since 2019, we have cooperated with ITL Group to develop new routes of China Railway Express. Since its launch in October 2022, the full-time schedule train service has received praise from many parties, and has been highly valued and supported by the senior management of DB Cargo and all railway authorities along the lines. At the Asian Logistics Biennale, we have launched a new product of the full-time schedule train service. Undoubtedly, the service has been a very successful program in the rail transport market so far, with an average transit time reduced to 11 days. Starting today, one import full-time schedule train will depart from Duisburg to Xi'an every week. Service quality, transit time, stability and environmentally friendly transport are key factors in the future development of freight transport, and the full-time schedule train service is a very important milestone.

By setting this milestone, DB Cargo, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., ITL Group and all partners, including railway hubs, will contribute to the future development of the Eurasian Corridor. We always believe that the future of freight belongs to the railways. Let's work together to create a better future.

On October 26, 2022, Xi'an International Inland Port Multimodal Transportation Co., Ltd. dispatched China's first domestic and overseas full-time schedule China-Europe freight train. With a stable transit time of 11 days, the service has become a smash hit with the best transit time in the market. This is the first overseas return train after the release of the new products of domestic and overseas full-time schedule China-Europe freight trains.

The return China-Europe freight train (Duisburg-Xi'an) carries 42 containers, mainly including auto parts, high-precision electronic instruments, brand cosmetics and German beer. It passes through Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan and enters China via the Alashankou Port.

Full-time schedule trains run in strict accordance with the standards of dwell time at border stations, and priority is given to formation, trailer transport and departure for them. The move effectively shortens the operation time of all links of China-Europe freight trains, reduces the invalid dwell time related to reloading at port stations,

ensures that the service of each section is completed according to the handover date/time and the specified train number, and improves the service quality of China-Europe freight trains in the whole journey and their market competitiveness.

Xu Qi, Head of the Overseas Office of Xi'an International Inland Port Multimodal Transportation Co., Ltd.

It is a great honor for me to witness the historical moment of the first import full-time schedule train. In order to ensure the smooth departure and transport of full-time schedule trains, a special team has been set up to be responsible for the management, and a weekly work schedule of full-time schedule trains has been drawn up. Special personnel are assigned to take charge of all links in the whole process from goods source organization, document review, train entry into stations, customs declaration to whole-journey tracking.

We will continue to provide customers with higher-quality services and ensure the long-term stable operations of full-time schedule trains.

The operation of domestic and overseas full-time schedule trains will continue to promote the higher-quality development of China Railway Express (Chang'an), further deepen economic and trade exchanges and cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road, and promote the integrated development of transport, logistics, commerce and trade, industry, finance, culture and other factors.

ITL Group will continue to optimize and explore more route products and modes, push China-Europe freight train service to a new level, and play an active role in accelerating Shaanxi's construction of an inland highland for reform and opening-up, serving the country's westward opening-up, and fostering a new development pattern with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international markets reinforcing each other.