land bridge land bridge russian called new silk road rail transport route moving freight passengers overland pacific russian far east china europe route railroad rail land bridge currently comprises runs russia called west corridor second continental bridge running china november billion goods shipped asia europe year delivered inland transport routes completed connects moscow 1960s early 1990s railway served primary land bridge asia europe factors caused use railway freight factor railways soviet_union use wider rail gauge rest europe china recently regained ground viable land route continents china rail system long linked northeastern china china added link rail system china calls rail link port city new land bridge second continental bridge addition railways connect countries middle_east including iran october completion rail link project theoretically connects europe proposed expansion includes construction railway gauge chinese railways rail links india burma thailand malaysia southeast_asia construction rail tunnel highway bridge connect trans north american rail system construction rail tunnel south_korea japan united_nations proposed expansion including trans asian railway project history commercial traffic europe asia took place 2nd millennium specific general route traders travel land continents miles long route exchange goods ideas people primarily china india mediterranean helped create single world system trade europe asia exports asia transported included weapons metals farm produce livestock slaves active trading road history included ancient han beginning 5th century new land routes asia europe developed north routes passed extended baltic region active trading northern trade routes traffic southern routes greatly diminished 15th century development sea route 16th century 18th century european influence trade new national boundaries severely restricted movement traders land routes europe china overland trade europe virtually disappeared associated branches supporting lines completed established rail connection europe asia moscow line kilometres longest rail line world connects russian pacific ports moscow rail links moscow allow passengers freight connect train lines running west europe making transfers passengers freight eventually reach western european trans connects north_korea directly south fully electrified double tracked line line capable transporting million tons freight annually line handle international transit freight year northerly east west route siberia parallel trans line known completed terminates pacific ports line comparatively little management mentions million tons freight year indicating year management line fully future oil copper ore export plans double track trans soviet modern russian government project political power territories asia 1960s opened ussr international trade route connecting europe freight shipments trans experienced increasing problems time dilapidated rail theft damaged freight late trains inflated freight fees uncertain scheduling return containers tension result use railway international trade declined zero 1990s according renewed interest trans route asia europe links directly railways ultimately connect finland sweden year round ice free port norway freight ships cross atlantic north_america rail links russia connect encounter greater congestion route resulting delays trade route east coast north_america eastern russia called effort attract use trans transport goods japan china korea europe mid-1990s russia lowered freight railway result freight volume rail line doubled february march japan tourism sponsored test route shipping roof tiles europe trans tiles transported ship railway moscow transit time expected days comparison days average takes ship cargo ship ports western russia successful ministry use results test encourage japanese companies utilize trans sea route direct container rail service began carrying car parts leipzig germany inland china siberia days day direct container general cargo rail service began poland inland china siberia days days week according russian statistics international container shipments annually russia grown factor reaching physical containers railways reported similar statistics volume direct container traffic china western_europe crossing amounted direct container train routes constituted entire volume container transportation year significant growing number containers travel china sea ports million china land bridge direct connections russia china original moscow route completed cut china northeastern provinces section railway located china known chinese eastern railway northerly route located entirely russian soil completed chinese route continues important connector countries railway networks western border point line connecting main line upgraded goal enabling railway pass freight trains direction border cars long cross border freight volume rail crossing expected reach million tons cargo principally russian oil exported china crossing sees direct weekly passenger train moscow beijing local passenger trains eastern border point chinese eastern railway sees significant use million tons freight crossing border regular cross border passenger service little known rail connection russia china built farther south china province russian station north korean border line began operating february saw minor traffic lumber years line closed briefly reopened closed september february companies line chinese company russian company signed agreement resume operations line november transport russia china signed agreement creating link railway systems countries involve railway bridge river connecting china province russia november project director told construction bridge begin january russia china trans line connecting trans china capital serves crucial link outside world shortest connection trans railway beijing line capacity limited single track china ussr long connected china rail links 1950s plans existed connect countries rail networks border soviets completed line station eastern border station construction chinese stopped sino soviet split 1960s construction commenced link chinese russian rail networks section completed september linking railway lines countries july goods train traveled line china capital december second rail link china built border railway approaches rail link extend line rail link pass completed december member ussr rail system connects carries rail gauge russian rail system central asian major north south railways connect russian rail system connect line trans railway connection directly european russia links russian rail system called railway plays important role new silk road initiative known belt road linking china europe russia new direction launched january included ukraine georgia china route service china western_europe main routes container services china europe eastern route port russia northern route west china border stations southern route east china border station totally transported rail january china germany inaugurated long distance freight train service beijing hamburg travelling total kilometres train uses china railways line travel continues north trans reaching end trans moscow train continues germany rail links poland total transit time days compared days average freight journey ship train containers carrying mixed load clothes electronics company travelled tracks operated different railways chairman stated march regularly scheduled weekly china germany freight services operation april postponed service indefinitely global economic crisis test run crossing russia poland took place march april covering days said demand service regular march route makes weekly services carrying foot long containers transportation authorities industrial center central china plan organize regular runs direct freight train european destinations czech_republic poland germany starting april plans service starting trains month april june gradually increasing frequency trains week new customs facility construction industrial area planned opening october exports region able clear chinese customs instead freight rail service number container china counterparts europe fairly regular city pairs train week respect cost speed china europe direct train service air sea options estimated overall volume goods moving china europe rail going surpass sea cargo volume eat significantly air cargo volume service typically valuable somewhat time sensitive cargo time advantage rail ship essential heavy cost saving air transport noticeable typical include complex machinery spare parts directions high end consumer goods primarily china major customers ship products container load freight possible send container shipments new land bridge called given china rail link route includes china east west railways addition line railway railway railways create rail link port city chinese governments signed agreement allows use primary exports imports intends serve designated starting point railway extends line continues capital line ends port direct rail link opened possible freight bypass poor relations neighbors branch railway constructed border iran linked railways link potentially enables rail freight china reach ports train lines reach turkey direct container train service inaugurated route trip takes days central asian route extend way europe october rail link link opened iranian rail lines use gauge requiring freight cars china iran change wheel twice train ferry lake van capacity restriction chinese state media claims extends distance kilometres exact route connect cities unclear turkey alternative way china europe turkey route china follows iran turkey longer distance insufficient service border crossings route transports china europe number projects strengthen route future connecting europe asia tunnel completion project continuous run trains possible asia europe rail ferry service tunnel limited service freight trains dense public transport tunnel closed dangerous goods able change current traffic project railway project able route bypassing iran new railway lines constructed shorter new route case china georgia turkey break gauge issues countries ussr use track gauge international standard rail gauge europe china result trains run china european countries ussr changing large facilities carry procedure exist border crossing russian standard gauge territories changing rail car takes hours special heavy equipment cases especially freight freight train instead changing usually china europe container trains places reported containers moved train little minutes case frozen goods hazardous materials usually changed suggested lines variable gauge achieve significant time savings comparison exchange implementation involve higher capital cost requiring replacement existing proposed development expansion projects march announced looking investors fund construction railway stretching kilometres china gauge chinese railways railway allow trains china cross having change reported construction cost new railway billion chinese media reported railway complete link china europe central asia unclear actual link europe unclear construction begin project governments india burma proposed building china cooperation link start india burma connect chinese rail system route allow freight india burma travel overland europe link rail access china indian_ocean proposed starting point route governments thailand malaysia studying feasibility establishing rail links china russia china seeking establish permanent rail link south_korea way north_korea allow south korean goods shipped europe land bridge according professor marketing management rail connection cut shipping time days save container freight plan link trans russia rebuilt finishing october south korean government announced december conduct economic technical study feasibility constructing tunnels transporting goods people country directly japan china advocated greater regional integration land bridge including development rail links countries south southeast_asia called trans asian railway project chinese leaders called establishment free trade zones ends facilitate development china comes true enable continental bridge play role enhancing operation asia europe promoting world peace development china announced plans finance expansion rail systems thailand vietnam connect china rail system plans include construction high speed rail line beginning april possible future extension december russian prime minister announced rail link considered japan rail line constructed tunnel link japan trans link april russian government announced considering building double track broad gauge rail tunnel alaska tunnel projected miles long include oil gas fiber cables power lines tunnel project estimated cost billion years build addition russian government sponsors project apparently include project envisioned connect russia north american rail network gauge widened fort nelson british_columbia canada distance miles significant project nearest major road russian end tunnel miles away addition alaska direct rail link canada united_states leaders including 14th advocated construction tunnel bridge high speed rail reported press march china intends build high speed rail link china western_europe possibility high speed rail journey beijing london taking days february chinese government announced jointly sponsor construction high speed rail line announced completion date print associated_press april tunnel proposed april global crisis delays rail freight project michael november arctic bridge churchill man key linking world april plan mile tunnel alaska daily_telegraph bridge far moon calls connect alaska russia november bill september getting economist intelligence unit resources infrastructure transport communications internet country profile august promotes role continental link christian david silk roads world history spring december japan david april readers page asked tunnel linking russia built guardian march days leaving beijing demonstration freight service operated china germany arrived hamburg january august iranian president visit china advances strategic cultural dialogue alex april tunnel russian new push century old idea daniel june coast act catalyst growth region turned transport hub joe september race races joe loved land link europe envisioned statesman july william july tickets oil prices rise businesses consumers alike planes cars efficient rail newsweek candidates face bid incumbent warner virginia voters decide candidates begin serving year term january november george august coming rail boom moscow deal extend trans railway boost commerce newsweek experts propose developing corridor land bridge november new silk road exhibition park july china northwest city host meet continental bridge june china congress deputies propose free trade zones continental bridge march web new railway linking china europe built newspaper article march retrieved november pacific development trans asian railway trans asian railway north south corridor united_nations retrieved november islam november fails sign deal lack cabinet approval new age retrieved november south_korea study tunnel december retrieved december september retrieved november january major international crises need giant project overcome google translation arabic newspaper article ltd retrieved november freight corridor department retrieved november bridge idea highlight rally june retrieved november information analysis land bridge transportation chinese geographical science science press february sea land makes rail commitment soviet_union retrieved november
Eurasian Land Bridge