The first rail freight service from China arrived at Hairatan in Afghanistan on 7 September 2016, having left Nantong in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on 25 August 2016.

Afghanistan: Chinese freight train reaches Hairatan. https://t.co/9u3YIYHC9T pic.twitter.com/8IzcjROivj

— Railway Gazette (@railwaygazette) September 7, 2016

Guests at a welcoming ceremony includied the former governor of Balkh province, Mohammad Ishaq Rahguzar, and China’s ambassador.

1st trade train entered Afghanistan from China. Regional economic cooperation is key for economic growth & stability pic.twitter.com/bszoCJXpoT

— F-M Mellbin (@AmbMellbin) September 7, 2016

The same rolling stock did not run through all the way, because China uses 1435 mm standard gauge railway track while the former USSR and Afghaistan use 1520 mm (“Russian”) gauge. The containers were presumably transhipped at the break of gauge at the China-Kazakhstan border.

The train was hauled in Afghanistan by a TEM2 diesel locomotive decorated with banners and the flags of China and Afghanistan.

First direct cargo train from China arrived in Hairatan port of #Afghanistan via @pazadiradio pics by Mujib Habibzai pic.twitter.com/P8BUxGIYxm

— Anand Shukla (@anand_shukla1) September 7, 2016

First ever train (45-wagon cargo) from #China to #Afghanistan arrives at Hairatan near Afg-Uzbek border; took 12 days from Nantong, China.

— Charles Haviland (@cfhaviland) September 7, 2016

(PT) Train carried cargo of machinery – returning with #Afghan dried fruits & marble. Final railway stretch in AF built by USSR in 1980s.

— Charles Haviland (@cfhaviland) September 7, 2016

Geopolitical significance:

First ever Cargo Train from #China arrived in Hairatan Port of #Afghanistan today. Gawadar port of #Pakistan won't longer be our only option

— Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) September 7, 2016

There are still some technical issues:

So much fuss abt Chinese rail arriving Hairatan.Still Hairatan not have the railway code. Still Galaba(Termez, Uzbekistan) station is used.

— Your Excellency (@HarrisWadan) September 7, 2016