China's first freight train via the cross-Caspian international transport route departs Jinhuanan Railway Station on June 18. [Photo/Tide News]

The China-Europe freight trains departing from or arriving in Zhejiang province reported increases in both the volume and quality of shipments in the first half of 2025, according to data released by Hangzhou Customs on July 4.

These trains shipped a total of 131,000 twenty-foot equivalent units in the first six months, a year-on-year increase of 11.1 percent.

China's first freight train via the cross-Caspian international transport route departed from Jinhuanan Railway Station in Jinhua, Zhejiang, on June 18.

The train carried over 100 TEUs of daily necessities, apparel, hardware components, and other goods. It exited through Horgos Port before traversing major Central Asian cities including Almaty (Kazakhstan), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), and Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) on its way to Turkmenbashi Port. From there, cargo shifted to maritime shipping across the Caspian Sea followed by final delivery via railway to Baku, Azerbaijan.

As of now, the freight service has built a robust cross-border network with 26 stable routes, serving over 50 countries and 160 cities across Eurasia.