New train route opens from China to Germany

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 01-10-2008 08:54

A container train left Beijing on Wednesday on its way to Hamburg, Germany. The new service was welcomed as real progress made in international rail cooperation.

Experts project that the new land route will take a big slice of the pie of Chinese-EU trade.

The train will travel about 9,800 kilometers through six countries, including China, Mongolia, Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany. The trip has gained support from those in customs declaration and clearance.

Zheng Mingli, chairman of China Container Transportation Co., said, "This can be seen as a breakthrough in our cooperation. Today, railway officials from six countries are here to witness this event.

This is very important to the development of the Asia-Europe Continental Bridge. This means of transportation has great potential for the countries involved."

Cargo on board includes electronic products, textiles and shoes. The trip to Hamburg, Germany will take 18 days. The same trip would take at least 40 days by container ship.

Tomasl Palaszewski, vice president of Polish National Railway, said, "There is big potential for container transportation to Europe. The ceremony today shows that it will bring big benefits to all of us. So we hope that it will not only be a pilot train, but a permanent connection between China and Europe."

Railway officials from the six countries will discuss detailed measures to facilitate and promote container transportation.

Experts project that the new land route will take a big slice of the pie of Chinese-EU trade. But improvements in Chinese railway networks will still matter. China has plans to invest huge amounts of money to build up 18 railway container terminals in the coming five years.

Editor:Zhang Ning