URUMQI, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Horgos Port, a significant railway hub located in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has reported handling over 4,000 China-Europe (Central Asia) freight train trips this year. This milestone was marked by a recent train that departed for Duisburg, Germany, carrying a load of electronics and mechanical equipment.

The cumulative total of freight train trips processed by Horgos railway port has now surpassed 46,000. Currently, it operates 87 routes that link 46 cities and regions across 18 different countries, as per data from China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd.

Strategically located on the China-Kazakhstan border, Horgos Port, along with Alashankou Port, also known as Alataw Pass, represents Xinjiang's two primary railway gateways. These ports have become integral to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, bolstering trade connectivity between China and Europe.

Alashankou Port has also demonstrated significant activity, processing over 3,000 China-Europe freight train trips this year alone. It maintains 123 routes that connect a total of 21 countries, including key trading partners such as Germany and Poland.

Over the past three years, both Horgos and Alashankou ports have witnessed sustained double-digit growth in cargo throughput. This strong performance underscores the growing importance of these ports in facilitating international trade.

In 2024, the combined ports managed to handle an impressive 27.5 million tonnes of goods, which accounted for nearly 70 percent of the total land-based import and export volume for the region. Notably, the number of China-Europe freight trains that traversed both ports made up over 50 percent of the national total.

Additionally, the two ports processed a remarkable 16,400 China-Europe freight train trips in 2024, reflecting a 14 percent increase compared to the previous year. This upward trend may signal increasing demand for rapid, reliable freight transport between Asia and Europe.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Kou Jie)