A regular sea-rail transit route linking Chongqing Municipality in southwest China and Singapore started operations on Monday.
A freight train carrying 54 containers loaded with cars, auto parts and fiber materials, left Chongqing on Monday, and will arrive at Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 48 hours later, said Han Baochang, director of the railway project.
From Qinzhou, the containers will be shipped to Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries by sea.
It saves ten days compared with transit through Shanghai, said Han.
The train operates every Friday and is expected to increase to daily departures within two years, he said.
The Chongqing-Guangxi-Singapore route complements the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe rail link, providing inland provinces with access to both the Silk Road Economic Belt to the north and the 21st Maritime Silk Road to the south.