The number of trains running through Kazakhstan by the longest freight-carrying railway between China and Europe (Yiwu-Madrid, Yixinou) in 2018 grew by 80%.
“More than 90% of Yixinou’s trains, which is the longest freight-carrying railway between China and Europe, run through Kazakhstan, via Alashankou and Horgos gates. About 10% of Yixinou trains pass through Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and reach Russia. From January to the end of September the round trips of Yiwu-Madrid trains via Kazakhstan went up to 210 with 18888 TEUs. Last year the round trips amounted to 168, so growth is about 80%”, said vice president of YXE International Container Train Fang Xudong in an interview with Kazinform.
China-Europe freight train (Yiwu-Madrid) was first put into operation in November 2014. Nowadays, there are nine China-Europe cargo train lines opened, including Yiwu to Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, Latvia, Russia, Belarus, and the United Kingdom lines, and the Czech Republic to Yiwu line. Among them, the China-Europe freight train (Yiwu-Madrid) has almost realized a regular operation with once to twice a week, passing the Republic of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France and Spain. And in this line, the train needs to change the track three times at the borders of China and Kazakhstan, Belarus and Poland as well as Spain. This line covers a distance of more than 13,000 km from Yiwu to Madrid, in 17 to 18 days. (Kazinform/Business World Magazine)