1st direct freight train from China heads to Afghanistan’s Hairatan — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The first direct freight train from Linyi city in China’s Shandong Province to Hairatan port in northern Afghanistan has departed carrying commercial goods worth about 8 million yuan, according to reports. Chinese media outlet Xinhua reported that the train departed on 21 October and is expected to reach Afghanistan in 20 days. The train is carrying textiles, chemical raw materials, tools and construction machinery manufactured in Linyi. It will enter the Central Asian transit route through the Khorgos border crossing, the report said. Previously, goods from Shandong to Afghanistan were transported mainly by road or through a combination of rail and road transport, resulting in high costs and uncertain transit times, according to the report. The report said the new direct rail route would provide an additional option for transporting goods and expanding trade between China and Afghanistan. It is the first dedicated freight train to travel directly from China’s Shandong Province to Hairatan in Afghanistan.