奇速英语

中英首列货运列车开启

The first-ever freight(货运) train from Britain to China, loaded with whisky, soft drinks and baby products, started its first journey along the modern Silk Road trade route on April 12.

The 32-container train, around 600 meters long, left from the huge London Gateway container port on the River Thames mouth, to Yiwu on the Chinese east coast. It was seen off on its 18-day, 12,000-kilometer journey with music, British and Chinese flags, and speeches voicing hope that it will bring a new golden age of trade between the two countries.

The first train from China to Britain arrived on January 18, filled with clothes and other retail goods. Yesterday’s departure was the first journey in the other direction. The rail route is cheaper than air freight and faster than sea freight, offering logistics(物流) companies a new middle choice.

The driver gave a thumbs-up and pushed his horn as he got the train leaving at the port in Stanford-le-Hope, east of London. The train will go through the Channel Tunnel before traveling across France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan before heading into China.

“We are proud to be able to offer the first-ever UK-to-China export train,” said Feng Xubin, chairman of Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment. “Restoring the ancient Silk Road by which can exchange goods is an important and exciting thing. This is the first export train and just the start of a regular direct service between the UK and China.”