A freight train loaded with Dell-branded computer parts departed from Chengdu International Railway Port Friday in the southwestern province of Sichuan, headed for Vietnam.

This is the first direct train from a western Chinese city to Vietnam. The whole journey is about 1,841 km, of which about 130 km is outside China. The train will cross China's border via Pingxiang in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, and is expected to arrive at the destination station in Vietnam seven days later.

Since the beginning of this year, to meet demand from manufacturing enterprises, international freight trains from Chengdu shipping goods to Vietnam have shifted from rail-sea combined transportation to solely railway transportation. The journey requires a track-gauge change on the China-Vietnam border.

"After the launch of the freight train service, the transport time from Chengdu to Vietnam was shortened by two to three days, while avoiding maritime transportation risks, reducing the cost borne by enterprises, and providing support for expanding the Southeast Asian market," said sources with Dell.