A new international freight train route linking Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, with Moscow, the Russian capital, began operations on Thursday.

A cargo train loaded with all sorts of cargo, including auto parts, appliances, cast iron fittings and kaolin in 55 containers, departed from the Huanghouyuan station in Taiyuan on Thursday morning, marking the inauguration of the service.

The train is scheduled to travel nearly 5,000 km to Moscow via the border port of Erenhot.

According to Wang Xingdong, deputy manager of Huayuan International Land Port Co., Ltd., Shanxi Province has opened 15 regular international intermodal routes connecting more than 40 major cities in 16 countries, injecting momentum into Shanxi's integration into cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.