NW China cargo train launches import cargo service from central Asia

The Chang'an cargo train leaves the train station at the town of Dostyk, Kazakhstan, March 20, 2016. The Chang'an cargo train hauling 2,000 tons of goods from Kazakhstan left for China on Sunday, for the first time after the start of its operation since November, 2013. It is expected to arrive at its destination Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in five days. In the past two years it has been transporting exported Chinese goods to central Asian countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and returning China empty-loaded for multiple reasons. (Xinhua/Zhou Liang)

XI'AN, March 21-- A cargo train bound for northwest China's Xi'an departed from a railway station in Kazakhstan on Monday carrying 2,000 tonnes of cooking oil from the central Asian country.

The Chang'an Train is scheduled to arrive at its terminal in Xi'an on Friday, according to sources with Xi'an International Trade and Logistics Park.

The train, loaded with 1,000 tonnes of sunflower seed oil and 1,000 tonnes of rapeseed oil, is making a return journey along the international railway route linking Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province and Almaty, Kazakhstan, the sources said. The railway started operations in November 2013.

The return journey of the Chang'an train on Monday marks the beginning of regular import cargo service from central Asia. The train previously was empty or carried few imported goods on its return journeys.

By the end of February, the Chang'an Train had run the route 162 times, transporting a total of 282,000 tonnes of goods to central Asian countries with a gross export value of about 290 million U.S. dollars.

It usually takes six days for the train to finish the 3,860-km cargo route from the Xi'an logistics park via northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to Almaty.

Two-way cargo service is expected to boost bilateral trade between China's western regions along the Silk Road economic belt and central Asian countries.

Xi'an, known in ancient times as Chang'an, is the starting point of the Silk Road -- an ancient land trade route that ran through northwest China's Shaanxi, Gansu and Xinjiang, and central and western Asia, before reaching the Mediterranean.

DOSTYK, March 21, 2016-- The Chang'an cargo train is about to leave the train station at the town of Dostyk, Kazakhstan, March 20, 2016. The Chang'an cargo train hauling 2,000 tons of goods from Kazakhstan left for China on Sunday, for the first time after the start of its operation since November, 2013. It is expected to arrive at its destination Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in five days. In the past two years it has been transporting exported Chinese goods to central Asian countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and returning China empty-loaded for multiple reasons. (Xinhua/Zhou Liang)