BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- China-Europe freight trains have made 1,000 trips in the first three months, up 75 percent compared with the same period last year, according to China Railway Corporation.

The company said the record was made because of increased rail routes and an accelerated train speed on the Chinese side.

The cross-border rail network has bridged 43 Chinese cities with 41 European cities in 13 countries.

More than 7,600 journeys have been made between cities in the two continents since March 2011 when the service started.

The China-Europe rail service is considered a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is expected to boost trade between China and Europe, China's largest trading partner.

The number of such train trips is expected to reach 4,000 in 2018, according to Zhao Jun, head of the freight department of China Railway Corporation.