On October 11, a freight train carrying photovoltaic modules, mechanical parts and chemical materials departed from Wujiashan Central Station in Wuhan, Hubei Province, heading for Uzbekistan.
This journey marked the 100th trip of the China-Central Asia train service launched by Hubei Railway Group Co., Ltd. Since its inception, the rail route spanning the Eurasian continent has transported over 70,000 tons of goods valued at 1.25 billion yuan ($175.4 million), reaching 25 cities in five Central Asian countries and eight other Belt and Road countries.
As a core hub connecting China with Central Asia, the China-Central Asia Freight Train (Wuhan) has linked Hubei-based enterprises to overseas markets, thanks to fast response times, low cost, and high-quality services. Photovoltaic enterprises can deliver clean energy to Central Asia; machinery manufacturers can streamline their supply chain from order to delivery; and chemical enterprises can establish stable cross-border supply chains.
The train service is operated by International Multimodal Transportation Company, a subsidiary of Hubei Railway Group Co., Ltd. Before 2021, only a small volume of goods from Wuhan was shipped to Central Asia via the China-Europe Railway Express (Wuhan). This changed with the launch of the first direct train to Almaty, Kazakhstan on May 20, 2021, followed by the first train to Tashkent, Uzbekistan on July 28. In 2024, Wuhan operated 35 China-Central Asia freight trains, including 25 outbound trains and 10 inbound trains. On April 12, 2025, the China-Central Asia freight train (Wuhan) secured regular operation.
Since last year, Hubei Railway Group Co., Ltd. has leveraged its strengths to accelerate the development of the China-Central Asia freight service. Centering on its goals of consolidating a key strategic pivot, enhancing dual-circulation hub functions, and building a strong comprehensive transportation platform, the company has integrated quality resources and expanded its transport network. As a result, the number of trains has surged by 339 percent year-on-year, the frequency has increased to one train every two days, and a record 20 trains were dispatched in September.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
