On August 21, Xinjiang Postal Branch launched container block train mail transportation via Xi’an-Urumqi Silk Road ecommerce freight trains.

The freight train operates on a multimodal transport organization mode featuring mainline express railway plus container truck distribution at both ends, one train a day with fixed schedules like passenger trains. During the whole journey, containers are used as the transportation carrier. Intercity long-distance trunk transportation relies on railway, while container trucks are used to transit goods at both ends, therefore eliminating the need for intermediate reloading, and effectively reducing the risks of loss, damage and contamination that may occur in the process of cargo transshipment. Compared with traditional land transportation, the freight train is estimated to shorten the time limit for mail transportation by nearly six hours, and effectively cut transportation costs. The whole transportation process is efficient and orderly. Container trucks depart from Urumqi mail center at 3 am every day and arrive at Urumqi Sanping Railway Station at 3:45 am. At 5 am, the freight train departs from Sanping Railway Station on schedule and arrives at Xi’an International Port Station in 36 to 38 hours, where after lifting operations are completed by China Railway International Multimodal Transportation Xi’an Branch, the containers are transferred to Xi’an mail center at about 20:30 on the same day.