OREANDA-NEWS. December 02, 2010. During the first nine months of 2010, the volume of export freight between the countries totalled 846,500 tons (up 1% on the same period of last year), import freight reached 223,200 tons (up 100%), and transit freight totalled 78,500 tons (down 18.1%), reported the press-centre of RZD.

External trade freight between Russia and Mongolia passes through the Naushki – Sukhe-Bator and Solovyovsk – Eneertsav border crossings.

As previously reported, on 28 October the first goods train left Mongolia carrying coal via Russia to the Vostochny port, for export to Asia-Pacific countries. Up to this point, all freight routes from Mongolia via Russia went only to the West.

In line with the Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail (SMGS) rules, the estimated period for the delivery of the cargo, including time on both the Mongolian and Russian railway networks, was 22 days.

However, the train completed the route in just six days, delivering the cargo to the Vostochny port on 3 November.