According to CCTV.com: The China-Europe freight trains are uniformly organized by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. They operate on fixed train numbers, routes, schedules, and throughout-the-journey timetables, running between China and Europe, as well as... Railway international intermodal trains carrying containers and other goods among countries along the Belt and Road have strongly promoted China’s opening up to the world and economic and trade exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road, becoming a landmark achievement in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2013, the former China Railway Corporation—now known as China State Railway Group—proposed a comprehensive strategy for establishing a unified brand for China-Europe freight trains, based on standardized mechanisms and equipment support, with unified transport organization, uniform end-to-end pricing, consistent service standards, a unified operating team, and a centralized coordination platform. To accommodate different regional cargo flows, three major China-Europe railway corridors were developed: the Western, Central, and Eastern routes. International container trains originating from Chinese cities and heading to European regions are collectively referred to as China-Europe freight trains. Specifically: The Western Corridor primarily attracts import and export cargo from the Southwest, Northwest, Central China, North China, and East China regions. It connects via the Longhai and Lanzhou-Xinjiang railways to the Alashankou (Horgos) railway port in Xinjiang, where it links up with the railways of Kazakhstan and Russia. The train then traverses the railways of Belarus and Poland, ultimately reaching other European countries. The Central Corridor mainly serves import and export cargo from Central China and North China. It connects via the Beijing-Guangzhou, Beijing-Baotou, and Jitai railways to the Erlianhot railway port in Inner Mongolia, linking up with the railways of Mongolia and Russia. From there, the train passes through the railways of Belarus and Poland, eventually reaching other European countries. The Eastern Corridor primarily caters to import and export cargo from East China, South China, and Northeast China. It connects via the Beijing-Shanghai, Beijing-Harbin, and Binzhou railways to the Manzhouli railway port in Inner Mongolia and the Suifenhe railway port in Heilongjiang, linking up with the Russian railway network. The train then travels through the railways of Belarus and Poland, ultimately reaching other European countries.

On June 8, 2016, China Railway officially launched a unified brand for the China-Europe freight trains. Currently, these trains operate from 71 cities within China, reaching 67 cities in 19 countries along 69 different routes. Frequently operated sections include: Yiwu to Madrid, Yiwu to Duisburg, Wuhan to Hamburg, Wuhan to Lyon, Chongqing to Duisburg, Chengdu to Lodz, and Zhengzhou to Hamburg, among others.