A Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train departs from West Yiwu Station for Kadikoy, Turkey on Sept 30. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train departed from West Yiwu Station for Kadikoy, Turkey, under the supervision of Yiwu Customs on Sept 30.

This is the third new southern line developed by the China-Europe train Yiwu platform to meet market demand, increase the punctuality of China-Europe trains, and promote the high-quality development of China-Europe trains. It is also the Yiwu platform's 18th new line.

The new route starts from West Yiwu Station and leaves China via Horgos Port in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Goods carried on the train are transported by rail to Aktau Port in Kazakhstan, and then pass through the Caspian Sea to Anzali Port in Iran, before being transported by car to Kadikoy port in Turkey. The goods are then transferred to many other southern European countries.

As of Sept 29, a total of 1,189 freight trains between China and Europe had been operated by the Jinhua platform this year, a year-on-year increase of 19.6 percent.

Since the Yiwu platform first opened in 2013, it has operated more than 4,590 trains carrying more than 376,000 TEUs of goods and has opened 18 direct international railway freight train lines to more than 50 countries and 160 cities.