On the afternoon of May 11, an international freight train departed from Lanzhou, the capital city of northwestern China's Gansu province. The final destination is Kathmandu, Nepal, but rail transport will change over to road transport in Xigaze, Tibet.

The whole journey will take 10 days and includes three sections: 2,431 kilometers of rail transport from Lanzhou to Xigaze, 564 kilometers of road transport from Xigaze to Geelong Port in Nepal, and 160 kilometers of road transport from Geelong Port to Kathmandu. Altogether, the combined transport takes 35 days fewer than traditional ocean transport would.

The train has 43 cars and 86 cargo containers carrying daily necessities and home appliances, according to the deputy general of China Railway Container Corporation.

The launch of the combination service will further promote the rapid growth of related industries in China's Gansu province, Qinghai province, Tibetan Autonomous Region and South Asian regions.