A rail freight service between Chengdu in China and Budapest in Hungary has been established. The new China-Europe express train left the Chinese hub on Friday 9 August and is expected to arrive fifteen days later.

This was reported by the Chinese media outlet Xinuanet.com, which called it a ‘first of its kind’. Chengdu lies southwest in Sichuan Province and is one of the main hubs of the country for rail freight to and from Europe. Budapest is gradually obtaining importance on the New Silk Road as an eastern European gateway.

Export route

The freight train, carrying over 30,000 parcels worth nearly 70.8 million U.S. dollars is expected to return within eight hours after its arrival. The new route will benefit the export of commodities made in Sichuan to European countries and boost local foreign trade thanks to its efficiency and lower operational costs.