A cargo train loaded with Chinese Spring Festival purchases left Zhengzhou, a key transport hub in central China's Henan Province, and headed for Germany Wednesday.
The train, coded X8203, carried food products from Henan such as shiitake mushrooms, Chinese yams, highland chrysanthemum tea, chili sauce, and dried noodles, as well as medical supplies and machine parts. It will arrive in Hamburg, Germany in 13 days.
China Railway Corporation's Zhengzhou bureau said it would increase the proportion of food products on the trains during the Spring Festival travel rush to meet the demand of overseas Chinese in countries along the Belt and Road routes.
After delivering Chinese delicacies to Europe, the train will bring back French wine, German beer, Polish juices, Belarusian milk and Dutch biscuits for Chinese families to enjoy during the lunar new year celebration.
Over 1,000 trips have been made since the China-Europe cargo train in Zhengzhou began operation in 2013. A total of 650 train trips are expected to be made in 2018.