Today, a freight train arrived with one hour’s delay after travelling 13,000 kilometres, setting off from China and arriving in Madrid.

Now, when you think of long train journeys you think of the Orient Express or the Trans-Siberian railway… but this journey was longer than both of them put together; much longer.

The train left Yiwu on the 18th of November and arrived today, the 9th of December, 21 days later, which is ten days less than what it would have taken to move the freight by sea; by rail is quicker, but more expensive.

And it’s the logistics of the journey that are interesting, because they had to use 16 different locomotives along the way, change rail gauge three times whilst crossing eight countries, just so that it could arrive in Madrid with 40 containers full of Chinese shop articles.

After a breather, the Chinese train will make its way back, but this time loaded with Jamón Ibérico and olive oil.

(News: Madrid, Spain)