The first dedicated freight train from China’s Shandong region to Afghanistan’s Hairatan port has departed, carrying commercial goods valued at approximately 8 million yuan. The shipment is expected to reach Afghanistan in around 20 days, according to Chinese media reports.
The cargo includes textiles, chemical raw materials, tools and construction machinery produced in the Chinese city of Linyi, the report by Chinese media outlet Xinhuange said.
The train will travel through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan before entering Afghanistan via the border crossing at Termez. Its final destination is Hairatan port in northern Balkh province. The service is the first dedicated freight train to depart Shandong specifically for Hairatan.
Previously, goods shipped from Shandong to Afghanistan were transported mainly by road or through a combination of road and rail. According to the report, these arrangements involved higher costs and less predictable delivery times.
Chinese officials say the new route could reduce transport expenses and make trade between Shandong and Afghanistan more efficient.
However, the actual savings and the route’s effect on bilateral trade volumes remain uncertain. Those outcomes will depend on the service’s performance, delivery times and costs across future shipments.
The launch offers a new transport option for commercial goods moving between China and Afghanistan through Central Asia. Whether it becomes a reliable and cost-effective trade corridor will become clearer as more shipments use the route.
