CHENGDU, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The southwestern Chinese metropolis of Chengdu launched a new intermodal train service on Friday morning, linking China-Laos Railway and China-Europe freight train routes.
The maiden trip was conducted by a train carrying auto parts, which departed from Rayong in Thailand and arrived in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, via the China-Laos Railway. The transportation was continued by a China-Europe freight train, which left Chengdu on Friday morning and is expected to reach its final destination of Budapest, Hungary, on July 17.
The new express railway service helps to facilitate the direct transport of goods from Southeast Asia to Europe, shortening the transport time to 15 days, than half the time of traditional sea routes, said Chengdu International Railway Service Co., Ltd., one of the service's operators.
The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, began operations in December 2021. The 1,035-km railway connects China's Kunming with Vientiane in Laos.
