The six countries - China, Mongolia, Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany - agreed to create conditions that will pave the way for a regular container train service between Asia and Europe.

They agreed to collaborate on customs and border patrols to simplify transit procedures and minimize the time needed for container trains to cross borders.

The gathering marks the first time the governments of the six countries have reached a consensus on the route, insiders said.

Yesterday, a demonstration container train carrying a load of Chinese goods rolled out of one of the logistics bases of China Railway Container Transport Corp Ltd in Dahongmen, Beijing, to mark the occasion.

The train is expected to cover a distance of 9,780 km in 18 days, before arriving in Hamburg, Germany.

The goods on board include electrical appliances, clothes, shoes and ceramic tiles, Zheng Mingli, chairman and president of China Railway Container Transport, said.

After the train finishes its journey, officials from the railway departments of the six countries will analyze the route with an eye towards improving operations.

"The goal is to open a scheduled railway container service between the six countries," Zheng said.

"Barring any complications, a scheduled container train should be shuttling between China and Germany in a year's time."

Issues such as how much the service should cost and how to organize and balance the sourcing of goods remain unsettled.

The Eurasian continental corridor is considered a favorable choice for cargo transport between the two continents because it takes less time than shipping by sea.