SHANGHAI, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Fifty-six German tourists traveling by bus along the Silk Road arrived in Shanghai Friday after a 53-day trip.

The tourists, mostly senior citizens, departed from Hamburg and traveled 13,000 kilometers across countries along the ancient Silk Road to Shanghai, as part of a cultural exchange program between China and Germany.

The trip passed through Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan to finally ended in China. The tourists also visited several cities in China.

"As economic ties between China and Germany become closer, cultural exchanges have also increased," said Lars Anke, executive director of Hamburg Liaison Office (Shanghai), "The road trip across Eurasia helps the tourists know more about China and the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative."

"The trip lasted long and cost around 18,000 Euros (around 21,000 U.S. dollars) per person, but it was booked up in two days," said Andreas Janz, CEO of trip organizer China tours Hamburg CTH GmbH, "This shows German people's strong interest in the Silk Road."