Summary：VILNIUS, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The arrival of the first train of a new postal rail service to Europe here opene...

VILNIUS, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The arrival of the first train of a new postal rail service to Europe here opened up a new reliable and efficient logistics channel between Lithuania and China, according to the Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications Jaroslav Narkevic on Tuesday.

In the letter to Chinese Ambassador to Lithuania Shen Zhifei to express his compliments about it, Narkevic wrote that it will bring new impetus for further strengthening of a versatile partnership of Lithuania and China.

Departing from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on April 3, the "China Post" CR Express 1st block train, loaded with much-needed medical supplies and 42 TEUs of parcels, arrived on April 12 in Vilnius. The parcels will be later transferred to other European countries.

"With this new route, especially during a difficult pandemic period, we are turning a new page towards a closer cooperation to meet consumer expectations -- assessing not only delivery time or price, but also environmental requirements," wrote the minister.

He thought "It is both a huge responsibility and at the same time a very high appreciation of a close and effective cooperation between the postal and railway companies of our countries".

Launched by the Chongqing Municipality, the train is the first of its kind to Lithuania. The rail service aims to meet the rising demand for international parcel delivery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.