As China's first China-Europe train route, China-Europe train (Chongqing New Europe) recently ushered in a new milestone-China-Europe train (Chongqing New Europe) broke through 10,000 trains. In March, 2011, the first international intermodal train from Chongqing to Duisburg, Germany, started the uninterrupted journey of China's "steel camel team" across Asia and Europe, and built a friendship bridge of openness and cooperation. In 2021, there were 15,000 trains between China and Europe, and 1.46 million TEUs of goods were delivered to countries along the route.

The empty box problem is "gone forever"

The first China-Europe train line broke through 10,000 trains, and one key word received attention-heavy box folding. Peng Qian, Director of Railway Logistics Department of Chongqing Municipal Government Port Logistics Office, introduced that the folding of heavy boxes, that is, 41 40-foot heavy boxes loaded with goods are converted into one converted list, is an important index published by China State Railway Group Co.,Ltd. to measure the high-quality development level of trains in China and Europe. In 2021, the return trip ratio of China-Europe trains reached 81.5%, up 3.8 percentage points year-on-year, and over 30 percentage points higher than that of 2016. Since the beginning of this year, the number of key hubs has basically achieved a two-way balance.

China-Europe trains are developing steadily, and the "circle of friends" continues to expand, bringing new opportunities for development to more and more countries and regions along the route.

In Germany, the general manager of Frankfurt-Hochst Industrial Park, Kavus K? czard, believes that China-Europe trains are vital to world trade and can drive the economic development of countries and regions along the route. In view of the regional turmoil caused by the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, the tight reservation of ships to and from the Far East and the high price of shipping business, the China-Europe train will be an alternative scheme under the condition of ensuring the safety of the route. 

In Hungary, the border town of Zahony is changing with the arrival of China-Europe trains. Csomos Norbert, general manager of Hungarian MAV-REC Railway Engineering Co., Ltd. said that in July 2017, the first container train from China arrived in Zahony. In that year, only 50 containers were transferred, but by 2021, the number had risen to 7,000.

The development of logistics has created more opportunities for Zahony. Csomos Norbert introduced that, in order to better meet the logistics needs of enterprises from all over the world, MAV-REC formed a consortium with Zahoni Port Company and China-Europe Business Logistics Cooperation Park to jointly promote the construction of "China-Europe Logistics Industrial Park" in Zahony. "China-EU economic and trade development has made Zahony an important node in China-EU supply chain. China-Europe trains have obviously driven the local economy. Now logistics companies and operators pay more attention to Zahony than before, and more and more Chinese companies are considering investing in Hungary and establishing European bases here. " Csomos Norbert said.

From January to June this year, China-Europe trains operated a total of 7,473 trains and sent 720,000 TEUs, with more than 1,000 trains running for 26 consecutive months in a single month.

● Up to now, China-Europe trains have reached over 180 cities in more than 20 countries in Europe, forming a logistics network linking Asia and Europe. 

● From 2016 to 2021, the annual number of trains in China and Europe increased from 1,702 to 15,183, with an average annual growth rate of 55%; The annual transportation value increased from 8 billion dollars to 74.9 billion dollars.

● In 2021, the return trip ratio of China-Europe trains reached 81.5%, up 3.8 percentage points year-on-year, and over 30 percentage points higher than that of 2016. Since the beginning of this year, the number of key hubs has basically achieved a two-way balance. 

● From the initial IT products, the categories of transport goods have expanded to more than 50,000 kinds of auto parts and complete vehicles, chemical industry, electromechanical, grain, alcohol and wood.

● The comprehensive heavy-duty rate of trains in China and Europe has increased from 77.2% in 2016 to 98.1% in 2021. Since the beginning of this year, the comprehensive heavy-duty rate of return trips has continued to stabilize at a high level, maintaining a high level of around 98%.