A freight train loaded with electronic products, optical cables, household products, automotive supplies and accessories -- as well as masks, isolation clothing and other anti-novel coronavirus epidemic materials produced by Hubei companies -- departed Wuhan city in Central China’s Hubei province on June 20, bound for Europe, according to officials.
They said the departure marked the beginning of a new China-Europe freight service transporting international parcels between Europe and Wuhan.
The freight train will arrive in Marasevic, Poland in about 13 days. The parcels will then be distributed to the United Kingdom, France and Germany by Polish Post.
According to employees of Hubei Post, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the international mail transportation channel was severely blocked and the volume of international postal services dropped significantly.
The China-Europe freight train has the advantages of providing reliable transport and its freight costs are more than third less than that of air transportation.
Officials said that at the same time, there are fewer types of restricted shipments, ensuring a smoother export channel for products that are restricted by air transportation – including electronic products and cosmetics.
Officials said Wuhan is an important node city of China's Belt and Road Initiative. They said the China-Europe freight train (Wuhan) will drive the development of the export-oriented economy in Hubei province and even in Central China.
Utilizing the freight train for international parcel deliveries is also expected to open up new logistics channels for Hubei-based cross-border e-commerce companies to expand into the European market.
