Wuxi launches its 1st China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan freight train

Container waits to be loaded to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan freight train. [Photo/Wuxi Daily]

The first China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan freight train in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, departed on Aug 27 and will arrive in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, in 15 days.

The freight route makes use of both railways and highways, featuring rail transport from Wuxi to Kashgar in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and road transport from Xinjiang to Tashkent by way of Kyrgyzstan.

A worker monitors the loading of a container onto the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan freight train. [Photo/Wuxi Daily]

The route, which is the shortest overland passage connecting Wuxi to Central Asian countries, can extend to Western Asia, Southern Asia, the Middle East, and South Europe, reducing the city's dependence on other routes.

The new route also enhances the safety of goods and reduces logistics costs, while reducing transit time by around 10 days compared to traditional sea or railway transportation.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will be completed in 2027 and will become the shortest overland route for delivering goods from China to Middle Eastern and European markets, shortening freight journeys by 900 kilometers and saving seven to eight days in transit time.