Loaded with 165 vehicles produced by automaker Geely, a China-Europe Chang'an freight train departed from the Xi'an International Port Station in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on Sept 28.

It will leave the country via Alashankou Port in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and will arrive in Moscow, Russia, 13 days later.

This is the 20,000th freight train to operate since its launch in November 2013, and the 3,946th to operate in 2023.

The 20,000th China-Europe Chang'an freight train departs from Xi'an on Sept 28. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

Chen Bin, production director of Geely's manufacturing base in Xi'an, said, "The freight train offers higher efficiency and lower costs than traditional shipping or air transportation. For Geely in Xi'an, it not only reduces the cost of exporting products but also enhances their competitiveness."

So far, Geely in Xi'an has transported 5,115 finished vehicles to Russia through the freight train. As of Sept 28 this year, 133 dedicated trains had transported over 10,000 vehicles.

On Nov 28, 2013, the first such freight train set sail from Xi'an, heading to Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Over the past 10 years, the freight train has built an efficient, low-cost, and high-quality international trade channel system, transforming the scope of its influence.