SHANGHAI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Freight trains made a record 1,127 trips last year from China's Yangtze River Delta to Europe and central Asia on 14 routes, according to Shanghai Railway Bureau Tuesday.

It marked a yearly increase of more than 47 percent, it added.

A greater variety of products, from small commodities, electronics, textiles, auto parts to vehicles, mechanical equipment and furniture are delivered between China and 16 countries in the European Union and central Asia.

The fastest train can arrive at Europe in 12 days, only one-third of the transportation time by sea.

A number of Chinese cities have launched similar freight trains to central Asia and Europe.