The first freight train between China and Britain reaches its destination
The 12,000-km line runs through nine countries. The trip lasted 18 days. It is part of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative to re-establish a modern version of the ancient Silk Road.
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The first freight train from China arrived in Great Britain yesterday.
The train left the city of Yiwu, on China's east coast 18 days ago, and travelled 12,000 km before arriving at a freight depot in Barking, London.
The service passed through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France before entering the UK via the Channel Tunnel. For now, it carries only freight.
Yiwu Timex Industrial Investments, which is running this service with China's state-run railways, says prices are half that of air cargo and cut two weeks off the journey time by sea.
The route is part of Xi Jinping’s One Belt One Road initiative along the ancient Silk Road trading route between Europe and Asia.
London is the 15th European city to find its way on to the ever-expanding map of destinations for China's rail cargo.
Last year, a total of 1,702 freight trains made the voyage to Europe, more than double the 2015 figure.
In April 2016, the China Railway Trans Eurasia Logistics opened a railway line between Wuhan and Lyon.
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