Four years later, expanded train service and path to globalization

Irecall the first time I was in Putian Station in the capital of Henan province, the point of origin for the Zhengzhou-Europe International Block Train.

It was in 2013 and I felt lucky to witness the first train from here to Europe.

For me, the scene remains clear: local officials and representatives of the foreign enterprises gathered together for the exciting moment when the train would get under way, connecting China with Europe. I spent a lot of time researching the line: it took 18 days to make the 10,214kilometer trip at that time; the route reached Germany via Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland.

The train undergoes several changes along the way. It first needs a transfer to the Russian-style broad gauge line at the Kazakhstan-China border at Alashankou, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Then there’s a second transfer to standard gauge at the Polish-Belarusian border.

Zhengzhou’s regional advantages and the train’s launch have made a significant impact on logistics development. This is what impressed me most as I interviewed a representative of DB Schenker, the transport and logistics arm of Germany’s national railway.

I have seen the company participate in international activities held since the first train rolled from Zhengzhou, hoping to witness its development step by step, I guess.

Four years later, when I arrived at the station, the transit time is expected to be down to 11 or 12 days from 18. And a new line, from Zhengzhou to Munich, was recently launched.

Following Shi Wensong, deputy general manager of Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Co Ltd, I walked into a show hall.

Shi showed me how to spot the orders around the world online. He pressed the buttons and introduced a digital and effective logistics system, which has just been put into use this year.

He said forming a serviceoriented company will help shape the logistics industry, and Zhengzhou has seized the opportunity.

As the crossroads of the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and Longhai (Lanzhou-Lianyungang) Railway, Zhengzhou has an opportunity to develop further.

It’s unclear how the Zhengzhou-Europe International Block Train’s effect will be noted in textbooks.

But when I can see a Zhengzhou resident hold a bottle of Belarusian milk or German beer in a store — and find it was produced this month — I can say the train’s effect is already being felt in people’s daily lives.