China - Dateline : Recent

Storyline:
Freight train service between China, Europe keeps double digit growth

[Voice_over]

China-Europe rail services continue picking up steam, registering a double-digit growth in the volume of goods being handled in the first four months of the year.

Data from China State Railway Group shows a total of 6,184 cargo trains crossed the Eurasian landmass during that period, moving 675,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of goods, for an 11 percent increase year-on-year.

Experts say the sprawling rail services provide an alternate way of sending goods which is faster than sea freight and cheaper than air freight.

[Sound_bite]

Wang Yangkun, director, Transportation Technology Center, Institute of Comprehensive Transportation, National Development and Reform Commission:

"The China-Europe freight train service has a relatively unique technological and economic comparative advantage. It helps cut comprehensive logistics cost by 8 to 20 percent compared with that of traditional sea-rail combined transport mode."

[Voice_over]

Meanwhile, Chinese railway stations are streamlining production procedures to make timely adjustments based on real needs.

[Sound_bite]

Sun Yongyu, deputy head, Alashankou Railway Station:

"In view of Kazakhstan's empty train situation and transport plan, we give priority to adjusting the structure of outbound trains and improving the capacity of running broad-gauge trains. Since April, the station has achieved continuous breakthroughs by sending out 19 or 20 standard-gauge trains in a single day."

[Voice_over]

Railway statistics show that by the end of April, China-Europe freight trains had made more than 89,000 trips, covering 223 cities across 25 European countries.

[Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]