A new train line between the Spanish capital Madrid and the eastern Chinese city of Yiwu has seen its first freight journey completed. The route is 13,000 km long, outstretching both the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Orient Express.

The freight train reached Madrid on December 9th, 21 days after leaving Yiwu. This means that the journey takes about half the time of the current six-week journey by sea.

Transporting freight along this route by rail also cuts carbon dioxide compared to road travel, from 114 tonnes of CO2 to just 44.

Trains pass through a variety of countries on their journey, including Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, Germany and France. The cargo must be transferred three times during the journey to cope with countries’ different railway gauges.

The link was welcomed by both Spanish and Chinese officials, as the two countries’ bilateral trade is worth approximately £16 billion per year.

Li Qiang, governor of the Zhejiang province where Yiwu is situated, described the new route as a “21st-century Silk Road”