XI’AN — A cargo train left Xi’an, capital of Northwest China’s Shaanxi province, for Hamburg in Germany on Sept 2, local authorities said on Sept 3.

The train left Xi’an at 8:50 pm on Sept 2 and will pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland before reaching Hamburg, Xi’an international port authority said in a press release.

It said the journey will last 13 days.

The train carries machinery, home appliances, garments and electronic equipment, which will be forwarded from Hamburg to other European cities.

It is the second China-Europe freight train from Xi’an. The first left for Warsaw on Aug 18.

The train will promote the further opening of Shaanxi province, and help shape a new international trade route within the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, said Han Song, a senior official with Xi’an municipal committee of the Communist Party of China.

“In the future, there’ll be an outbound train every week and an inbound train once a month,” said Han.