The first direct Moscow freight train departs from Beijing

The first freight train has left between the Chinese capital Beijing and Moscow. It marked the start of a new China-Europe Railway Express service connecting the two countries’ capitals. The train departed on March 16 and is expected to arrive on April 3, which will take 18 days. A total of 55 40-foot containers were loaded.

The route exits China at the Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia border crossing into Russia, and then heads west to Moscow after connecting to the Trans-Siberian Railway. The route is about 9,000 km long. Goods transported include auto parts, building materials, home appliances, fabrics, clothing, home furnishings, etc. Many are Chinese-made replacement parts for European products.

The China Railway Express originally started in Chongqing and then began to depart from other Chinese cities, mainly inland, such as Chengdu, Xi’an and Lanzhou. Over the past ten years, more cities have gradually joined the China Railway Express, such as the newly opened China Railway Express hub in Shenyang.

The China-Europe Railway Express between Beijing and Moscow reflects the increasing flow of trade and transport between China and Russia, which has grown to record levels, and illustrates subtle geopolitical shifts in the Eurasian logistics landscape.

In fact, connections between Moscow and various cities in China have existed for a long time. The significance of this particular train is that it is the first regular scheduled service to run directly between the two cities.

A high-speed line has long been planned, but cannot operate on the existing Trans-Siberian lines due to congestion – the line is already almost full. New high-speed rail would need to be laid – talks are ongoing to connect Russia’s existing Kazan-Beijing high-speed line, although completion is not expected until 2030 at the earliest.