On Wednesday, a train arrived in London, after an 18-day, 12,000 km (7,500 mile) journey from Yiwu, in eastern China – the first train from China to Britain ever. The journey included Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium, France, & the Chunnel.
New Silk Road – Yiwu (a wholesale market town in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang) to Barking (east London)
Credit: The Sun
At 18 days, the journey took less than half the time that would have been taken by a sea journey.
The Independent – “First direct train service from China to the UK arrives in London”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/first-direct-train-china-to-uk-arrives-east-london-yiwu-city-barking-channel-tunnel-a7533726.html
NPR – “China's First Freight Train To The U.K. Rolls Into London”
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/18/510460107/chinas-first-freight-train-to-the-u-k-rolls-into-london
Reuters – “First freight train from China to Britain arrives in London”, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-britain-train-idUSKBN1521YP / first freight train China to Britain arrives London first China to Britain freight train arrived London Wednesday 7,500-mile journey China's push build commercial links Europe and Asia train Barking east London after 18 day eighteen day journey Yiwu wholesale market town eastern Chinese province Zhejiang passed through Kazakhstan Russia Belarus Poland Germany Belgium France cross under English Channel tunnel Chunnel Britain consignment reach Britain sea train cargo small commodities including household items clothes fabrics bags suitcases Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment Yiwu-London Yiwu to London freight service London 15th European city direct rail link with China 2013 One Belt One Road initiative Chinese premier Xi Jinping Carsten Pottharst managing director Switzerland InterRail Group train operator runs between China and Britain run the train in less than 18 days to Britain cargo from the United Kingdom to China trains eastbound Oscar Lin general manager OTT Logistics local UK booking office train train service first train test reaction UK market enquiries marketing Prime Minister Theresa May relationship with China billions of dollars in Chinese investment Britain leave the European Union /
