Source: https://www.railfreight.com/beltandroad/2020/04/09/new-multimodal-route-via-kaliningrad-rostock-tested/

Russian Railways, JSC UTLC ERA, Russian Railways and DB Cargo have launched a new multimodal route from China to Europe through the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. This intermodal chain departs from Xi’an in China, and crosses the sea between Kaliningrad Sea Commercial Port and the port of Rostock in Germany. The final destination is Duisburg.

A test train left Xi’an on 25 March and arrived at the Kaliningrad Marshalling Yard on 5 April. It consists of forty-nine 40-foot containers with consumer goods. After being reloaded in the Kaliningrad Sea Commercial Port, the cargo was sent by sea to the port of Rostock on the same day.

Regular service

According to calculations, the total delivery time on the new multimodal route will be no more than 14 days, as opposed to the ~45 days it takes to ship by sea. The Xi’an–Duisburg route through the port in Kaliningrad is expected to become a permanent shipping artery. In April of this year, it is planned to send five trains from China to Europe and five trains in the opposite direction as part of this project.