Hungarian train operator Gysev Rtand Chinese freight firm Far East Land Bridge LTD signed an agreement on Friday on operation along the Hungarian stretch of a new freight route linking China and Western Europe.
Under the agreement signed in the economy and transport ministry in Budapest, Gyor-Sopron-Ebenfurt (Gysev) Rt is set to operate the route until 2012.
Transport Minister Csaba Kakosy said the agreement was the first step made by Hungary to revive rail links between China and Western Europe.
According to an MTI news agency earlier report, the first container train already left China on Jan. 9 and is expected to arrive in Zahony at the Ukrainian border in northeast Hungary late this month, spokesman for Zahony Port Istvan Szekeres said on Tuesday.
Pending viability studies, container trains from China could start arriving once a week from February and five times a week from the summer, bringing the station to full capacity, he added.
Szekeres said at present between 5,800 and 7,900 containers arrive on average at Zahony annually, as many as 20,000 containers from China could pass through Zahony by 2009.
Up to now, the bulk of Chinese goods exported to Europe arrive by ship.
The biggest remaining question is whether the final "silk road" will traverse Hungary or whether Poland or Slovakia will be chosen, said national daily Nepszabadsag on Wednesday. The main criterion measures the speed at which the train covers various points along the several thousands of kilometers.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article