On January 29, 2026, a specialized freight train loaded with 1300 tons of coal coke set off from Gansu Province, China, sounding its horn and heading towards the distant Abulik Railway Station in Uzbekistan. This train, consisting of 47 carriages with a cargo value of approximately 4.06 million yuan, is not only the first international special train of the new year, but also symbolizes the profound evolution of the role of China's northwest inland provinces in the international trade and logistics map.

Nine Days Across the Asia Europe Corridor

The train is planned to depart from Gansu and leave the country via Khorgos Port in Xinjiang. It is estimated that the whole journey will take about nine days to arrive at the destination. It is positioned as the first stable and specialized international railway freight practice in Gansu Province in 2026, marking the steady development of the railway logistics channel between China and Central Asia towards normalization and high timeliness. This cross-border railway line has become an important physical link connecting the inland of China and the hinterland of Central Asia.

Meet the needs of regional industries

The goods transported this time - coal coke, are key raw materials for the steel and metallurgical industries, with long-term and stable market demand in Central Asia. Compared to traditional sea and road transportation, the advantages of international railway dedicated freight transportation in comprehensive cost, transportation efficiency, and supply stability are increasingly prominent. Under the framework of global economic cooperation, the railway infrastructure between China and Central Asia continues to be strengthened and upgraded, laying an institutionalized foundation for the large-scale and efficient cross-border circulation of energy and resource-based products. This coal and coke special train is a concrete example of China's inland energy processing and logistics capabilities effectively extending to the Central Asian market. Keywords: Interconnected News and Information, Interconnected News Network

Building an inland international hub

The Wuwei Bonded Logistics Center, responsible for organizing this transportation, revealed that its continuously expanding international logistics network has begun to take shape. At present, the center has laid out six key logistics routes, covering Central Asia, Central Europe and other directions, connecting 22 countries, 46 cities and regions, and is committed to transforming Gansu's geographical advantage into a tangible advantage in foreign trade channels. With the continuous maturity of such customized special train services, a more stable and efficient international logistics corridor is accelerating its formation in the northwest region of China. This not only opens up broader export channels for "Made in Gansu", but also provides more reliable and convenient transportation guarantees for Chinese goods to penetrate the Central Asian market.Editor/Gao Xue