On 14 April 2016 a container train numbered X8426 departed on the route China - Europe from the Shilong railway terminal in the city of Dongguan in the direction of Europe carrying the following goods: household equipment, pieces of furniture, spare parts for automobiles and telecommunications equipment. Its route was running through the border crossing station of Manchuria and further through the territory of Russia, Belarus and Poland to Germany. The traveling time to the station of Duisburg (Germany) amounted to about 19 days, which is faster by 15 days than the time needed for the maritime mode of transportation. The total length of the route is equal to 13,488 km, which is one of the longest routes for container trains from China to Europe.

The launch of the block train from the Shilong terminal in the city of Dongguan (China) to the station of Duisburg (Germany) made it possible to establish a new land route for the carriage of goods and the development of trade between the area of the Pearl River estuary in China and European countries. In the future the international railway logistics terminal of Shilong in the city of Dongguan will be transformed into a huge hub from which trains will depart to run on the Silk Road of the XXI century and the Silk Road Economic Belt. The circulation of the block train in traffic of China - Europe and China - Central Asia to Russia, Central-Asian countries and Europe will make it possible to expedite the delivery of goods from the province Guangdong, in particular from the area of Guangzhou to Russia Central-Asian countries and Europe.

The first container block train departed from the city of Wuhan to France

On the 6^th of April 2016 a freight train departed from the station of Wuhan in the province Hubei (China) to the city of Lyons (jr. - Lyon, France). The train was composed of 41 containers in which Chinese commodities were transported: electronic equipment, engineering manufactured articles and chemical products. The train ran through the border crossing station Alashankou on the territory of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany to France. The total length of the new route amounts to 11.3 thousand km, and the travelling time is equal to 16 days. Prior to it, container trains used to run from China to France being re-coupled at the station of Duisburg (Germany).

It has to be noted that a large French Diaspora lives in the city of Wuhan, and 130 French companies have invested in the province's economy. The launch of the new route Wuhan - Lyons for container transportation established a new logistics axis for the development of trade between China and France.