Freight trains between China and Europe have made more than 6,200 trips since this vital West-East trading corridor opened in 2011.

The New Silk Road’s international cross-border rail network has connected 35 Chinese cities with 34 European destinations over the past six years, according to the Transport Coordinating Committee of China Railway Corporation’s (CRC) China-Europe project.

Efficiency

Since 2011 there have been a total of 6,235 freight journeys across 57 routes. Of these, almost half – some 3,200 trips – were undertaken during 2017 alone. Zhao Jun, Head of Freight for CRC, said this number was expected to reach 4,000 in 2018, adding: “We will focus on raising the efficiency and profits and lowering the empty-loading ratio next year.”

The China-Europe rail service is central to the success of the New Silk Road, also known as the Belt and Road Initiative, which is boosting trade relations with Europe, China’s largest trading partner.