World Bulletin / News Desk

With Chinese conductors at the helm, a fleet of shiny new trains will on Wednesday begin plying a new route from the Ethiopian capital to Djibouti, in a major boost to both economies.

"We're so excited! It takes two or three days for a truck to come from Djibouti. The driver doesn't answer his phone. We don't know where he is and that can be a bit of a nightmare, said Ethiopian importer Tingrit Worku.

"The train could make a huge difference".

Some 1,500 trucks a day currently lumber along the road which carries 90 percent of imports and exports from landlocked Ethiopia to the port -- a key trade hub to Asia, Europe and the rest of Africa.

"This train is a game changer. Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. The connection to the ports (of Djibouti) will give a bounce and our economy will grow faster," said Mekonnen Getachew, project manager of the Ethiopian Railways Corporation.