File photo

XI'AN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A new China-Europe freight train route has been launched in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, according to China Railway Xi'an Group Co., Ltd.

The first freight train on the route, loaded with solar panels, departed from Xi'an's Xinzhu station Wednesday for Barcelona in Spain.

So far, Xi'an has launched 15 freight train routes linking 44 cities in 14 countries. The city has launched 736 freight trains as of April 7, up 144 percent compared with the same period last year.

Since the beginning of this year, the throughput from the station has reached 1.58 million tonnes, up 48.9 percent compared with the same period last year.