The CICT-customized special China-Europe freight train (Wuhan) departs from Wuhan on Jan 27. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The first China-Europe freight train (Wuhan) to be specially customized by China Information and Communication Technologies Group Corporation (CICT) departed on Jan 27 from Wuhan, the capital of Central China's Hubei province. The train is exporting communication products to Lodz in Poland.

The train will leave China through Ereenhot in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region and is expected to arrive at its destination in 18 days.

With a total of 50 high-cube containers, the weight of the goods loaded on the special freight train exceeds 1,000 metric tons, and the value of the goods is nearly 50 million yuan ($7.71 million).

According to a CICT manager, in the past, the group's products exported to Europe needed to be transported by land from Wuhan to coastal areas and then to Europe by sea, which took more than 45 days.

With the help of the China-Europe freight train, the transportation time can be shortened by 60 percent. According to the manager, the adoption of the new transportation channel has reduced the comprehensive logistics cost of the company, which is conducive to the accelerated expansion of its European market.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the China-Europe freight train service has become the primary transportation method for the import and export of China's foreign trade enterprises due to its speed and safety. The train service is also environmentally friendly.

The service plays a vital role in stabilizing global supply chains and industrial chains, serving the domestic and international double circulation system.

In 2020, the China-Europe freight train (Wuhan) made 230 trips, carrying 18,920 TEUs' goods with a value of nearly 7.5 billion yuan.