Photo: www.news.xinhuanet.com
A 13,052 kilometers (8,110 miles) journey between the Chinese city of Ywu and the Spanish capital has come to an end the other day thus seting a new record for the world’s longest train journey. Considered by some as future's 21st silk road, the trip started on November 18 with 40 wagons, carrying 1,400 tons of cargo.
Named Yixinou, the train arrived in Madrid Abronigal railway station Tuesday, December 9, and officially set the record for the longest train journey in history. This journey was meant to experiment whether China’s commercial transports through Europe are more efficient by train than by other ways of transportation.
According to Xinhuanet, the major advantages of using rail transportation are that the goods got to its destination much faster than they would have by boat, arriving in Spain in half of the time a cargo vessel would need to cross from China. There is also an environmental advantage, as the train produces 62% less carbon dioxide than a lorry making the same journey by road.
Traveling for a greater distance than that between the north and south pole, Yixinou crossed China, Kasakhstan, Russia Belarus, Poland, Germany and France. Along the way, the engine changed every 800 kilometers (497 miles) and the crew was replaced by fresh forces every country.
The record-breaking train was welcomed by several dignitaries, such as Spain’s Public Works minister Ana Pastor, the mayor of Madrid Ana Botella, as well as the director of Business at the Chinese Embassy to Madrid Huang Yazhong and the director of Commerce for the Government of Zheijiang province Zhang Shuming.
Words of courtesy were shared as the Chinese diplomats would point out the great importance China gave to strengthening relations with Europe. Botella commented that the record train trip was like a “new silk road for the 21st century”, except that now the commerce will travel both ways.
Named Yixinou, the train arrived in Madrid Abronigal railway station Tuesday, December 9, and officially set the record for the longest train journey in history. This journey was meant to experiment whether China’s commercial transports through Europe are more efficient by train than by other ways of transportation.
According to Xinhuanet, the major advantages of using rail transportation are that the goods got to its destination much faster than they would have by boat, arriving in Spain in half of the time a cargo vessel would need to cross from China. There is also an environmental advantage, as the train produces 62% less carbon dioxide than a lorry making the same journey by road.
Traveling for a greater distance than that between the north and south pole, Yixinou crossed China, Kasakhstan, Russia Belarus, Poland, Germany and France. Along the way, the engine changed every 800 kilometers (497 miles) and the crew was replaced by fresh forces every country.
The record-breaking train was welcomed by several dignitaries, such as Spain’s Public Works minister Ana Pastor, the mayor of Madrid Ana Botella, as well as the director of Business at the Chinese Embassy to Madrid Huang Yazhong and the director of Commerce for the Government of Zheijiang province Zhang Shuming.
Words of courtesy were shared as the Chinese diplomats would point out the great importance China gave to strengthening relations with Europe. Botella commented that the record train trip was like a “new silk road for the 21st century”, except that now the commerce will travel both ways.
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