BEIJING, January 18. /TASS/. The first freight train departed from the port city of Quanzhou in Eastern China to Moscow, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.

This is the first freight train traveling from China to Europe from the city of Quanzhou in the Fujian Province. The train laden with 445 tonnes of goods is expected to arrive at the Russian capital in about 20 days. The distance for freight delivery by rail will take 25 days smaller than using the route with seaborne transportation. The distance between Quanzhou and Moscow stands at 10,900 km.

Quanzhou is considered to be the starting point of the Sea Silk Road connecting China with European and Southeast Asian countries and the Middle East.