New freight rail route connects Chongqing to Central Asia as the freight train set off is expected to reach Uzbekistan in 12 days.

A freight train carrying polyester chips produced in southwest China’s Chongqing set off on Sunday morning for Uzbekistan, marking the launch of a new regular rail route linking Chongqing with Central Asia.

The train, covering a distance of about 4,700 kilometers, is expected to reach the Uzbek capital in approximately 12 days. It will travel through China’s Horgos Port in Xinjiang and cross Kazakhstan en route.

According to China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd., two freight trains are scheduled to run monthly from Chongqing to Central Asian destinations.

Xu Meiqiong, an engineer at the railway company, explained that regular train services help speed up customs procedures, ensure timely delivery, and lower transportation costs, thereby improving the quality of cross-border logistics.

It is estimated that this new route will cut the transportation time between Chongqing and Central Asia by around 30 percent.

The polyester chips on this initial journey were supplied by Chongqing Wankai New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. Lin Zheng, the logistics manager, said the new freight route will help the company expand into Central Asian markets.

In recent years, Chongqing has aimed to transform into a major inland logistics hub. The number of freight trains from Chongqing to Europe and Central Asia, along with total cargo volume, has steadily increased.

As of February, Chongqing has dispatched over 18,000 freight trains on more than 50 regular routes, connecting with more than 100 logistics hubs across Asia and Europe.