First freight train from Beijing to Europe departs

A China-Europe freight train, the first of its kind from the capital, departed from Mafang Station in Beijing's Pinggu district at 9:20am on Thursday.

It will leave the country through the port of Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia autonomous region and arrive in Moscow 18 days later.

The train, loaded with 55 containers of auto parts, construction materials, home appliances, cloth, clothes and household goods, will travel around 9,000 kilometers during the trip, according to the Pinggu district government on Thursday.

The train opens a new international fast freight corridor linking China with Europe, adding to Beijing's foreign trade transport network.

Pinggu's Mafang Station has become the starting point for Beijing's integration into the Belt and Road Initiative.