The first container train from Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, crossed the Kazakh border through the Khorgos border crossing and transited through the country toward the port of Aktau. The cargo will then be shipped across the Caspian Sea to Baku, onward to Turkey and other countries. The new service is organized as part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).
The TITR significantly accelerates logistics: delivery times are reduced from 50 to 18 days by eliminating the traditional sea route that bypasses the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Furthermore, the new corridor reduces the risk of cargo damage and lowers the cost of multiple transhipments during long-distance sea shipments. It is estimated that exporters’ logistics costs could be reduced by an average of 15-20%.
The first train will carry marble products, cotton fabrics, wallpaper, and other consumer goods. Currently, there are 13 China-Europe/Central Asia international railway routes operating in Jiangxi Province, covering more than 200 countries and regions and providing services to over 500 foreign trade enterprises.