The first freight train of the year departed from Xi’an International Port in Shaanxi Province January 1, inaugurating a new high-speed rail corridor connecting Xi’an with Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The route is now part of the “China-Europe” international rail network and promises faster delivery times and enhanced trade efficiency between the two nations.
Carrying 50 containers loaded with household appliances, textiles, and chemical products, the train will traverse the Khorgos checkpoint in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, proceed through Kazakhstan, and arrive in Uzbekistan.
This streamlined route, developed through the collaboration of Xi’an International Port Chanba, China Railway Corporation, and other stakeholders, has reduced delivery times from 8–10 days to just 5–6 days.
In 2024, the volume of freight from Xi’an to Central Asia up by nearly 50% compared to the previous year, reaching 69,655 standard containers. The introduction of this new route is expected to further accelerate trade, solidify logistics ties, and strengthen economic cooperation between China and Uzbekistan.
In 2023, Xi’an Port handled 5,351 train movements, with over 50% directed to Uzbekistan. The “Xi’an-Jizzakh” route was expected to handle 20,000 TEU containers by the end of 2024, however exact figures are not yet available.
In October 2024, cooperation was agreed upon to increase freight volumes, including the “Kashgar-Irkeshtom-Osh-Andijan” route.
As part of those October 2024 agreements plans to launch a tourist train to Almaty, potentially extending it to Tashkent and Samarkand were made.
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