URUMQI — A total of 700 China-Europe freight trains are expected to depart from Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, by the end of 2017, the regional logistic center said on Oct 19.

Over 500 China-Europe freight trains have already headed westward from the city this year, far more than the total number last year.

Urumqi, the regional capital of Xinjiang, is a transport hub for China-Europe freight train routes.

With trade volume increasing between China and European countries in recent years, Urumqi has started to offer “point-to-point” customized services to cut transport costs and time.

The one-stop service integrates customs clearing, inspection and quarantine, train transportation, and freight logistics.

By October, more than 5,000 cargo train trips have been made between Chinese and European cities since the start of the direct rail freight services six years ago, according to China Railway Corporation.

Photo taken on Oct 19, 2017 shows containers on the freight train X9091 to Almaty of Kazakhstan, in Urumqi, Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]