ZHENGZHOU -- A cargo train from Zhengzhou in Central China to Hamburg in Germany will be launched on Thursday to boost bilateral trade, Chinese railway authorities said Wednesday.

The container train will start its journey from Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province and pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, White Russia, Poland before reaching Germany, said the Zhengzhou Railways Bureau.

The train will travel 10,214 km for 16 to 18 days. The service could shorten the length of time needed for cargo from Zhengzhou to Europe via sea by about 15 days.

The first train will carry 665 tons of goods such as tyres, shoes, clothes in 51 containers. The trade volume is worth $1.52 million, according to customs authorities in Zhengzhou.

There will be six such trains to Hamburg this year, which are expected to realize more than $100 million of exports and imports.

In 2014, the number of cargo trains from Zhengzhou to Hamburg will rise to 50, bringing trade volume of $1 billion.