The first freight train from Lanzhou, Gansu province, to Afghanistan set off on Wednesday, and is expected to arrive after 15 days. [Photo by Wang Hongliang/for chinadaily.com.cn]

The first freight train from Lanzhou, Gansu province, to Afghanistan set off on Wednesday, and is expected to arrive after 15 days.

The train, carrying 39 containers of goods will transfer to automobile transportation at the Kashgar port of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, leave China from the Erkeshtam port of Xinjiang, before returning to railway transport in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and finally reaching Afghanistan regions such as Hairatan. The total distance is about 3,125 kilometers.

Goods include automobile parts, furniture, office supplies, household supplies and machinery equipment, with a total worth of $1.5 million.

The regular operation of the train route is expected to promote the high-level opening-up of Gansu and enhance its trade exchanges with Central Asian countries, said Wang Hongliang, director of Jincheng Customs, administered by the Lanzhou Customs.

Lin Weijun from the Gansu branch of New Land-Sea Corridor Operation Co, one of the operators of the train trip, said it aims to build a broader and more influential international logistics channel and helps to promote local products from Gansu in overseas markets, thus boosting its export-oriented economy.