The World's longest freight train route

There are of course a few questions: break of gauge occurs between Poland and Belarus/Russia and again with China although these are overcome with flexible axle widths using springs.  What about the EU's war on Russia and Belarus?  How much loading/unloading takes place?  Can 4 months be considered acceptably fast and how much could it be speeded up?

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"After more than four months and 16,000 miles [25,000 km] the first cargo train on the world’s longest rail route has returned to China.

"Starting in Yiwu, it crossed Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France, and ended in Madrid — carrying Chinese goods out and returning with Spanish wine, olive oil, and ham.

"Dubbed a modern Silk Road, this route is set to boost trade between China and Europe, offering a faster, greener alternative to ships."