A train loaded with containers left the Chinese city of Wuhan arrived Thursday in Lyon, for what is a first in France, in the form of a nod to the legendary Silk Road.
A train loaded with containers left the Chinese city of Wuhan arrived Thursday in Lyon, for what is a first in France, in the form of a nod to the legendary Silk Road.
The convoy departed on 6 April in Wuhan, loaded with 41 containers of technical equipment, auto parts, electronic and a little chemistry, told AFP Philippe Moritz, an official communication from the train.
In 15 days, the train traveled almost 11,500 kilometers across Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany. Locomotive changes were needed along the way as there are differences spacer rails between the countries, said Mr. Moritz.
“The containers were transshipped twice, on the border between China and Kazakhstan and between Belarus and Poland,” he added.
Make this trip in 15 days “is a good travel time, knowing that boat it takes two to three times longer. Seaway is cheaper, but the train is an intermediary between the vessel and the aircraft. And, by plane, this can be as long as it can take a week between arrival in the airport terminals and the final destination, “he said.
This route existed for some time between China and Duisburg in the Ruhr, and the novelty lies in its extension to Lyon.
According to the city, the new Silk Road “marks a new step in the good relations between Lyon and China”, after the coming of the President of the Republic of China Xi Jinping, in March 2014, at the inauguration of Centre for the promotion of relations between China and Lyon and the museum of Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyon.
China is “a privileged partner for Lyon” with 80 Chinese companies that have located in the Lyon region in recent years. Simultaneously Lyon 100 companies have settled in China.
Eventually, three trains per week are planned between China and Europe to strengthen economic, trade and cultural exchanges, according to the metropolis.
