Freight train route links Heilongjiang, Belarus

A freight train route has been put into operation between northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Belarus, taking around half the transportation time of the traditional sea route.

A train departed from Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang, earlier this month and will travel nearly 10,000 kilometers in around 16 days before reaching Minsk, capital of Belarus, according to Harbin government.

It is carrying 42 containers, mainly loaded with textiles and sanitary products. The train is expected to transport goods with high added value, such as electronics, in the future.

The route will help integrate Heilongjiang into the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

With the rapid expansion of China-Europe trade, cargo train services from Harbin began operation to Hamburg, Germany in 2015 and to Ekaterinburg, Russia last year. As of May, the trains have made 357 trips, carrying more than 18,000 containers.