Known as a key transport hub, Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, is located at the intersection of the Beijing-Guangzhou and Lianyungang-Lanzhou railways. To enhance its connection with European countries, the city has built an inland port to handle the China-Europe freight trains.
According to the Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Co., Ltd., which operates freight trains linking Zhengzhou and Europe, the number of freight train trips via the port jumped from 13 in 2013 to 1,126 in 2020, with the cargo value soaring from 50 million U.S. dollars in 2013 to 4.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.
"The market shares of the China-Europe freight trains have seen steady growth since 2013," said Guo Xinnian, deputy general manager of the company.
Now the China-Europe freight trains via Zhengzhou have a service radius of 1,500 km, covering nearly three-quarters of the country's land area and providing services for nearly 6,000 domestic and overseas partners.
"In recent years, an increasing number of international logistics companies have set up their offices in Zhengzhou," said Tian Le, with the Henan Seaton International Logistics Co., Ltd.
According to the Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Co., Ltd., more cities in the central region will join the China-Europe freight train project, which will help improve services regarding the BRI and make the trade tie between the central region and Europe smoother.