NANJING — A freight train left the city of Wuxi in East China's Jiangsu province and headed for Central Asia on Aug 13, local authorities said.

The train carries more than 1,000 tons of goods, including polyester chips, household appliances, and auto parts, with a combined market value of 30 million yuan (about $4.4 million).

It will pass through Jiangsu's Lianyungang city before reaching Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in about 20 days.

Compared with sea transportation, the freight train service can cut the trip by at least 20 days.

Since the pandemic, local foreign trade enterprises had difficulties in exporting products, and the freight train service has provided a new solution for these enterprises, said staff with the logistics park at Wuxi west station.