The train from Chengdu in China to Bettemburg-Düdelingen in the south of Luxembourg is on its way. The test drive will allow the Chinese company Chengdu International Railway Service to check whether this direct connection is profitable.
Approximately 10,000 kilometres. The first direct freight train from Chengdu in Sichuan province to Bettemburg-Düdelingen will cover that much in two weeks’ time, the Luxembourg Ministry of Transport announced on Monday. The transport is carried out as part of a pilot project.
The first test train of Chengdu International Railway Service in the opposite direction, i.e Luxemburg-China, completed the route in April this year.
With this connection, the terminal in Bettemburg-Düdelingen can become an important logistics hub for Western and Southern Europe, according to the expectations of the Luxembourg transport ministry.
Rail development under the One Belt, One Road initiative
Rail freight transport from China to Europe is gaining in importance – in 2018 6,300 trains were launched under the One Belt, One Road initiative, and in 2017 – 3,600 trains. This year’s result is expected to reach 8,000, the German press agency DPA reports.
This is due to the regular connections – three weekly direct journeys from Chengdu to Tilburg in the Netherlands and four weekly journeys from Chengdu to Łódź.
In addition, China wants to lift restrictions on the transport of dangerous goods by rail later this year. The changes are aimed at making it possible to import and export another group of products, namely batteries for the automotive industry, which uses them for the production of electric vehicles.
Photo: Pixabay
