THE rail service between Chongqing and Duisburg, Germany, has increased from once to thrice weekly as the 11,000-kilometre (6,835 miles) 16-day route works towards a daily frequency.

President Xi Jinping met a cargo train in Duisburg in late March, which was carrying electronics from Chongqing, reported Lloyd's Loading List.

"China and Germany, at the opposite ends of the belt, are two major economies that serve as the driving engines for economic growth respectively in Asia and Europe," said President Xi.

Rail is faster than sea carriage, and cheaper than air. The Chongqing-Duisburg route is 20 days faster than by sea, and climate conditions are less damaging for electronics shipped by train.

At the moment trade is from China to Germany with 50 FEU arriving in Duisburg, but hopes are high that exports from Germany's automotive sector will be forthcoming, particularly auto parts for Chinese assembly.

The trains are operated by Trans Eurasia Logistics, a joint venture between Deutsche Bahn and Russian Railways.