Qilu Europe-Asia freight train, operated by Shandong Hi-Speed Group, plays an important role in promoting opening-up and the Belt and Road Initiative in Shandong province. The train travels between the province and Europe, Central Asia and Southeast Asia. It has three routes: the north route starts from Shandong, passes through Russia and Belarus, and reaches European countries like Poland, Germany and Hungary. The middle route starts from Shandong, passes through Central Asia, reaches Russia and Belarus, and then stops at Poland, Germany and Hungary.

The south route starts from Shandong and reaches Southeast countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand. From January to July, the freight trains made 621 trips. The value of import and export cargo on the train was about 6.81 billion yuan ($948.72 million). The goal of the province is to make 500 trips in 2019.

Since August 2017, Jinan opened multiple rail routes to Europe and Central Asia, to better contribute to the BRI. The Qilu Europe-Asia freight train that starts from Jinan covers 12 countries.

From January to June, the train has made 81 trips from Jinan, with cargo weighing 65,000 metric tons and valued at $155 million. The categories of cargo expanded from daily necessities, apparel and small goods, to automobiles, home appliances, machinery equipment, laser-engraving machines and auto parts. Imports included cotton yarn from Central Asia and wood, pulp and flour from Russia. The Qilu Europe-Asia freight train has played a key role in international logistics and trade for the province and is accelerating the development of an export-oriented economy.