According to Vietnam Railways Corporation, the train departed Suzhou West Railway Station on June 10 and arrived at Yen Vien Station in Hanoi on June 16 after travelling more than 2,800 kilometres.
The train carried 37 containers and more than 1,000 tonnes of cargo destined for factories in Ninh Binh, Haiphong and Phu Tho provinces.
Unlike previous shipments, the new service operates as a dedicated direct route. Cargo from Suzhou previously had to be consolidated in Nanning before crossing the border via Pingxiang and Dong Dang.
By eliminating consolidation and waiting times, the new route reduces transit times by two to three days and lowers logistics costs by around 10-15%, Vietnam Railways said.
The launch follows the arrival earlier this month of the first direct international freight train linking Xining in China's Qinghai Province with Trang Bom Station in Dong Nai City.
That service transported nearly 1,000 tonnes of cargo over a distance of about 4,000 kilometres in less than a week without requiring border-stop procedures.
Under Vietnam's railway development plan through 2030, the country intends to develop three international rail corridors linking Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong, Hanoi-Dong Dang and Haiphong-Halong-Mong Cai.
The routes are expected to use the standard 1,435-mm gauge and be integrated with rail networks in China and Europe, supporting Vietnam's participation in regional and intercontinental logistics chains.
