At around 3:00 PM on July 10, a China Railway Express freight train commenced its journey from the CR Intermodal Zhengzhou Terminal in Central China's Henan province. The train loaded with 52 containers carrying automotive parts, tires, electronics, and other commodities.
This freight train set off on a new journey, marking the launch of the Southern Corridor for the China Railway Express freight train service from Zhengzhou, a route renowned as the "crossing two seas".
In detail, the train is set to depart China via the Khorgos port in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, traversing countries including Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, before reaching its final destination in Istanbul, Turkiye. Notably, this route utilizes a rail-sea intermodal transport method, involving two transfers onto ships to cross the Caspian and Black Seas. This route will operate on a regularly schedule with one train departing weekly. The adoption of customs policies, such as "pre-declaration for export" and "rapid railway clearance", is anticipated to improve customs efficiency and reduce logistics costs.
Since January, Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Company, a division of Henan Zhongyu International Port Group, has collaborated with customs, railway and other departments to strengthen the international logistics network for the China Railway Express freight train service from Zhengzhou. That effort has led to the addition of 4 new direct destinations: Belgrade in Serbia, Herleen in Netherlands, Baku in Azerbaijan, and Istanbul in Turkiye. In late April, the Zhengzhou-Baku route, crossing the Caspian Sea, opened for the first time. Up to now, it has transported a total of 422 containers, laying a solid foundation for the ongoing expansion the Southern Corridor. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Wang Yanhui and Guo Beichen and Hu Shutong Translator: Yang Jiaxin and Zhang Yahan Proofreader: Ding Lan and Zhao Hanqing)
