A China-Europe freight train departs from Xi'an. [Photo/Xi'an Daily] 

Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, saw a surge in China-Europe freight train trips in the first half of this year.

The Chang'an China-Europe freight train service operated 2,619 train trips from January to June, up 46.2 percent year-on-year, according to the Xi'an International Trade and Logistics Park.

Nearly 2.5 million metric tons of cargo were transported between Xi'an and destinations in more than 10 countries and regions in Asia and Europe, up 64.1 percent year-on-year, said Xu Xiaoqiang, an official with the park.

The Chang'an China-Europe freight train service was launched in 2013, when China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative.

Last year, the number of train trips operated by this service rose by more than 20 percent to 4,639 trips, with more than 4 million tons of cargo delivered.