XI'AN — A freight train service linking Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, with Kiev, capital of Ukraine, began operations on July 24.

The train, loaded with metro tons of clothing, shoes and other goods, left Xinzhu Station at Xi'an in the morning, according to China Railway Xi'an Group Co Ltd.

The trip will take around 12 days, and pass through Mongolia and Russia before reaching Kiev.

So far, Xi'an has launched 15 freight train routes linking 45 cities in 14 countries in Eurasia. The city launched 1,667 freight trains to these cities in the first half of this year, doubling the number in the same period last year.