First China - Vietnam freight train inaugurated
VOV.VN - A Chinese freight train departing from Shijiazhuang station of Hebei province arrived at Yen Vien station on the outskirts of Hanoi on August 2, marking the first such international freight rail route from China to Vietnam.
The 23-carriage train was carrying approximately 800 tonnes of commodities, mainly metals, chemicals, and fertilisers.
It took the train more than four days to travel from Shijiazhuang to Yen Vien at a total length of about 2,700km.
This is a direct rail route, helping businesses shorten the transportation time as opposed to transporting goods across the land border, and at the same time facilitate the clearance of import and export procedures.
At Yen Vien station, representatives of the Railway Transport and Trade JSC (Ratraco) and the Shijiazhuang Inland Port Co. Ltd. signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement.
Accordingly, the two sides will organize a freight train departing from Shijiazhuang to Yen Vien and vice versa with a minimum frequency of one trip per week. They will then consider increasing the train frequency based on actual demand.
Shijiazhuang is the capital of Hebei with a population of more than 11 million. It plays an important role in China’s national railways system, connecting Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Over the years, Shijiazhuang has become a focal point for organizing international trains to Russia, Europe, Central Asia, Mongolia and ASEAN countries.