The first China-Europe freight train fully loaded with new general-purpose automobile containers waits for departure at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China, June 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
CHONGQING, June 22 (Xinhua) — A China-Europe freight train loaded with new 40-foot, 35-tonne general-purpose automobile containers departed from Chongqing in southwest China Monday, marking an innovation that makes rail service transportation of vehicles more efficient.
The containers are carrying 182 automobiles from China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd., an automaker headquartered in Chongqing, a major automotive manufacturing hub.
An aerial drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows the first China-Europe freight train fully loaded with new general-purpose automobile containers waiting for departure at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
With the new containers, Chongqing is boosting the capacity of China-Europe freight train services to meet growing demand for automobile export transportation.
Compared with traditional general-purpose containers, which can carry at most three sedans or two SUVs, the new container can hold up to four sedans or four SUVs per unit, reducing the transport cost per vehicle. Meanwhile, the new container is designed to be compatible with rail, road and maritime transport, offering more flexible equipment options for building an efficient multimodal transport network.
A drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows a new general-purpose automobile container being hoisted at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)A drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows a new general-purpose automobile container being hoisted at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)A drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows the new general-purpose automobile containers being loaded atop the container trucks at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)An aerial drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows the first China-Europe freight train fully loaded with new general-purpose automobile containers waiting for departure at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)A drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows the first China-Europe freight train fully loaded with new general-purpose automobile containers waiting for departure at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)An aerial drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows the first China-Europe freight train fully loaded with new general-purpose automobile containers departing from Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)An aerial drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows the first China-Europe freight train fully loaded with new general-purpose automobile containers departing from Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)An aerial drone photo taken on June 22, 2026 shows the first China-Europe freight train fully loaded with new general-purpose automobile containers departing from Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)■
