Over 8,000 China-Europe freight train trips made through Xinjiang

URUMQI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Alataw Pass and Horgos Port, major rail ports in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, handled more than 8,000 China-Europe freight train trips in the first eight months of 2021, said local railway authorities.

Alataw Pass reported a 28.4-percent growth of the trips during the period, while the other port registered a nearly 40-percent increase of China-Europe freight train trips compared to the prior year.

During the period, the trains transported about 3.1 million tonnes of cargo through the Alataw Pass, up by 47.9 percent. Over 6 million tonnes of cargo were transported via the Horgos Port, up by 50.9 percent, year on year.

At present, 22 routes pass through the Alataw Pass, connecting more than 20 countries, including Germany, Poland, Belgium, and Russia, with the transportation of more than 200 types of goods. Meanwhile, the Horgos Port has, so far, launched 36 China-Europe freight train routes, linking about 18 countries.