URUMQI, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Cargo trains have been running smoothly at the inland port of Alashankou in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the first five months of this year, local customs authorities said Tuesday.

The number of freight trains crossing the border port hit 851 from January to May, up slightly by 1.3 percent year on year. Together they transported a total of 343,700 tonnes of goods worth 5.17 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 8.52 percent and 69.6 percent from a year ago, respectively.

Among them, a total of 536 outbound international cargo trains carrying more than 262,700 tonnes of goods passed through the port during the same period.

As the biggest inland port in northwestern China, Alashankou has seen its cargo rail service growing steadily since the first international freight train via Alashankou was launched in 2011.

The varieties of goods via the port have expanded from electronic devices to garments, agricultural produce, wine, auto parts and vehicles in recent years, according to Alashankou Customs.