NANNING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has launched a new freight train route to Poland.

A train, carrying electrical products and sheet metal, left Qinzhou city in Guangxi Wednesday for Malaszewicze in Poland. It is the first freight train linking Guangxi with Europe.

The trip, with a total length of 11,000 kilometers, will take 18 to 20 days, which is 12 days shorter than marine transport.

Demand for rail freight between China and Europe, an alternative to slower and riskier ocean shipping and costlier air cargo, has exploded in recent years.

About 35 Chinese cities operate freight trains to Europe.