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ISTANBUL, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The recent launch of two freight trains from China to Türkiye via the Middle Corridor marks a new chapter for the route, signaling progress toward more regular and efficient China-Europe rail operations, Turkish authorities and industry experts said.

The Middle Corridor, officially known as the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor, traverses Kazakhstan, crosses the Caspian Sea, and continues through Azerbaijan and Georgia before reaching Europe via Türkiye.

The milestone was highlighted by the arrival of the first China-Europe Railway Express South Channel Train at Istanbul's Halkali Station on July 21.

Carrying communication equipment, auto parts, and other goods, the train completed its journey in 22 days after departing from Chongqing on June 29. The other train, departing from Chengdu, is expected to arrive in Istanbul next week.

To ensure the timely delivery of the cargo, logistics partners from Türkiye and China optimized scheduling and strengthened coordination, enabling a faster and more resilient trade link.

On July 16, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced that, following numerous trial runs, regular services have now commenced from the Chinese cities of Chongqing and Chengdu to Istanbul, marking a significant step in the operational expansion of the Middle Corridor.

"The trains traveled approximately 3,500 km within China before continuing through Central Asia, crossing the Caspian Sea, and reaching Europe via Türkiye. Each train carries around 2,000 tonnes of cargo," Uraloglu said.

The services were launched on an agreement signed between Türkiye's Pasifik Eurasia Logistics Group and China State Railway Group, he said.

The minister said Türkiye aims to establish seamless logistics between China and Europe, with a target of running 1,000 trains annually and positioning itself as a central hub in the Eurasian supply chain.

"The Middle Corridor is no longer just an idea. It is step by step becoming a real corridor," said Fatih Erdogan, CEO of Pasifik Eurasia, adding that compared to traditional sea routes, the Middle Corridor offers not only a shorter path but also greater controllability.

"These trains carry not only containers but also vision, trust, strategy, and a shared future," he said.