The Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train embarks on its 10th-anniversary commemorative journey from Madrid, Spain on May 8, bound for Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

Loaded with 70 twenty-foot equivalent units of automobile parts, red wine, and various Spanish goods, the Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train embarked on its 10th-anniversary commemorative journey from Madrid, Spain on May 8, bound for Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang province.

This voyage will traverse eight countries, including France and Kazakhstan, with a total distance of 13,052 kilometers. The train is expected to reach Yiwu by the end of May.

Since its inaugural run on Nov 18, 2014, when the first Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train departed from Yiwu to Madrid carrying small commodities, the train has completed over 10,000 round trips, transporting 840,000 TEUs over the past decade.

The operational network has expanded from one route to 24, linking over 160 cities in more than 50 countries and regions across Europe and Asia. The range of goods transported has diversified from small commodities to over 100,000 types of pruducts, including new energy vehicles and medical equipment.

This development has significantly bolstered economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and Europe, Central Asia, Western Asia, and other regions.

Xu Shefei, a small commodity trader in Spain, highlighted the benefits of the freight train service, emphasizing the new logistics avenue it provides beyond sea and air transport. He transports substantial quantities of daily necessities and textiles between Spain and China via the "iron tracks" every year.

Arman, a local resident, underscored the integral role of Yiwu small commodities in their daily life. From kitchen utensils to clothing and accessories, the city's goods offer quality at affordable prices.