International parcels can now be shipped from Beijing to Moscow following the introduction of the Russia-China railroad delivery service, the logistics department of Russian Railways announced on Monday.

In a statement, Russian Railway said that currently, international deliveries to Russia are only made by air and road. The railroad delivery service was put up on behalf of the federal post operator Russian Post.

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Packages will now travel the world's longest railway line - the Trans-Siberian Railway - built between 1891 and 1916 that connects Moscow with the Far East city of Vladivostok, en route to China, North Korea and Mongolia. 

Last week Thursday, a statement announced that the very first package from China has been successfully delivered. In an interview with TASS news agency, a Russian Railways Logistics representative said that the railway service could carry over 50,000 tons of mail every year. 

"A mail train consisting of 18 special mail cars instead of cars hitched to passenger trains will circulate between Moscow and Beijing," Russian Post chief executive Dmitry Strashnov said. Strashnov further stated that the goal is to create a "powerful and reliable logistics route" between Asia and Europe, to link initiative on the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

The service is part of a strategic cooperation agreement inked between the Russian Railways and China Railways on May 20, 2014, as part of the raft of agreements reached between Moscow and Beijing in an effort to strengthen tighter economic ties. 

Through the service, package delivery now comes at a lower cost and allows cargo in the same container to be delivered door to door, thus getting rid of additional operations. Furthermore, the railway lines have cut down cargo traffic and shortened delivery times.

TagsRussia, china, Railroad service, postal service, Trans-Siberian Railroad