6,000 miles through 7 countries. Why companies are turning to long-haul trains

[caravanman]

When the freight train pulled into view, it looked like many others at this rail hub in suburban Paris. But one thing made the train unusual: its journey started more than 6,000 miles away, in western China.
The train was carrying more than three dozen 40-foot containers, each stuffed with goods such as party balloons and car parts, from Xi'an to Paris. It had traveled through China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France, making the journey in five and a half weeks.
Once unusual, long-haul train freight shipments between China and Europe have become much more common during the pandemic as companies that need to move goods between the huge economies look for alternatives to snarled and expensive air and sea routes.

6,000 miles through 7 countries. Why companies are turning to long-haul trains

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

The train was carrying more than three dozen 40-foot containers.

About 72 TEU and 5 1/2 weeks. Ship carrying about 18,000 TEU and get there in 4-5 weeks. I get the thinking outside of the box, but not very effective and the cost must be quite high.

 

[Ziv]

Freight trains have been border busting lately, I saw this article about a route re-opening after a short period of operation ten years ago. It is between Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul and they hope for it to be a 10 day journey for the freight cars, which is much less than the approximately 35 days it would take if the products were shipped by sea. Not to mention the current backup in shipping by sea all over the world of late.
https://www.railwaygazette.com/frei...nbul-freight-service-relaunched/60680.article

 

[jis]

Freight trains have been border busting lately, I saw this article about a route re-opening after a short period of operation ten years ago. It is between Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul and they hope for it to be a 10 day journey for the freight cars, which is much less than the approximately 35 days it would take if the products were shipped by sea. Not to mention the current backup in shipping by sea all over the world of late.
https://www.railwaygazette.com/frei...nbul-freight-service-relaunched/60680.article

That one even involves transhipping the containers from BG flats to MG container carriers at Kohi Taftan or Zahedan (don't know where they have built the transhipment facility).