First freight train arrives in Germany in 4 days

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

The departure of the block train was celebrated with a farewell ceremony attended by the ministers. AA photo

Turkey’s first privately owned train of the Great Anatolian Logistics Organization (BALO) that departed from the Aegean province of Manisa, has arrived in the German province of Munich after four days.

The BALO train, which carries the products of Anatolian industrialists to Europe, arrived in a record period, the Union of Chambers and Bourse (TOBB) said in a statement on Sept. 13. The train departed from Manisa on Sept. 8 and arrived in Munich in four days.

TOBB President Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu said the scheduled service from Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Kayseri and Denizli would kick off next week.

The project was realized with the contribution of 93 local business organizations and aims to facilitate trade to and from Europe as well as to reduce freight transportation costs.

The expeditions will be made twice a week to the German cities Munich and Cologne in the initial stage, before gradually increasing to five times a week.

According to the scheme, the container freight of Anatolian exporters will be picked up from their doors and collected at logistics centers run by the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) before being brought to Bandırma port in northwestern Turkey with block trains.