In the first half of the year, 7,377 freight trains were sent on the China-Europe route, and the coverage expanded to 23 European countries

The China-Europe Railway Express, or China Railway Express (CRE), is key logistical cog in President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative. It provides an alternative to container shipping for transporting Chinese manufactured goods to Europe via Russia.

The EU wants to slash emissions from transport by 90 percent by 2050 by getting cargo off of CO2-emitting trucks and on to much cleaner railways and barges.