HEFEI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A new China-Europe freight train service was launched Thursday night, linking Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, with Duisburg of Germany.

A train carrying electronic components, solar cell modules and power cabinet components departed from an international railway logistics center in Hefei, marking the start of the service.

Carrying export goods worth 4.88 million U.S. dollars, the train will travel for 18 days over the 11,000-km distance, and cross the border via the Alataw Pass in west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region before reaching Duisburg in west Germany.

The freight service is scheduled from Hefei to Duisburg every Thursday, according to Hefei International Inland Port Development Co. Ltd., the company in charge of the freight operation.

The company has opened a number of freight train services linking Hefei with Central Asian and European cities including Hamburg, Almaty and Helsinki.

The China-Europe freight train service is considered a new channel for Hefei's export via road transport, and it is expected to help the city integrate better with the country's Belt and Road Initiative.

Anhui is home to JAC Motors and Anhui Ankai Automobile Co. Ltd. Both companies have relied on the China-Europe freight train service to deliver their exports of automobiles and new energy vehicles.