Kazakhstan Increases Rail Transport to All Central Asian Countries
Kazakhstan’s rail freight surged 34% in the first quarter of 2026 versus the same period last year, driven by strong export and transit activity along the Middle Corridor. Grain shipments topped 2 million tonnes, up 50%, while ferrous metal exports rose 43% to 442,000 tons and petroleum products grew 6% to 212,000 tons. Transit volumes to neighboring Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan also jumped, underscoring Kazakhstan’s expanding role as a regional logistics hub.
Former Transfesa Logistics Now Operates Under the Name DB Cargo Iberia
DB Cargo has rebranded the former Transfesa Logistics operation as DB Cargo Iberia after selling most of Transfesa’s business, including its brand, to Spanish shipping group Boluda Corporación Marítima. The divestiture left DB Cargo with only the automotive‑related activities and...
Gloomy Outlook as Railways Come Under Fire
The global railway sector faces a perfect storm of economic stagnation, political resistance to sustainable transport, and direct attacks on infrastructure in conflict zones. In the UK, freight volumes remained flat at 4.2 billion net tonne‑kilometres in Q4 2025, reflecting a lack...
European Military Mobility Cooperation Deepens with New Agreements
European defence logistics took a step forward as nine NATO‑aligned states signed a joint declaration to prioritize military trains on the North Sea‑Baltic rail corridor. The Netherlands led the effort, adding explicit language for unhindered military transport and committing to...
‘Mediterranean Feeder Services Instability Has an Impact on Inland Transport’
Instability in the Middle East, especially repeated closures of the Strait of Hormuz and tensions around Bab‑el‑Mandeb, is disrupting Mediterranean feeder services that link major ports to regional European hubs. The disruptions have led to blank sailings, irregular arrivals and...
North Sea Port Teams up with the Dutch IM ProRail to Boost Rail Freight
North Sea Port has teamed up with Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail to create a joint port rail team focused on the Dutch section of the hub, including Vlissingen and Terneuzen. The partnership will initially leverage existing rail assets, using sensor...
Railpool Gets 100 Million Euros in Loan From KfW
Railpool, a leading locomotive leasing firm, has secured a €100 million (approximately $108 million) loan from KfW IPEX‑Bank. The financing will fund the purchase of new locomotives primarily for Germany’s freight market. The loan is part of KfW’s Program 269, an initiative launched...
Two French ‘Combi’ Players Forge Strategic Partnership
French combined‑transport operators Open Modal and Be Modal have formed a strategic partnership, creating a joint logistics hub at Valenton near Paris. The collaboration enables capacity‑sharing on the Lille‑Paris/Valenton corridor and adds a new service linking Paris‑Valenton with Lyon‑Vénissieux, a...
Infrastructure Works and Wagon Rules Harmed Swiss Rail Freight in 2025
Swiss rail freight continued its downward trajectory in 2025, with tonne‑kilometres dropping between 12% and 18% across quarters and total weight falling 13.5% year‑on‑year. The transalpine modal share slipped to 68.6%, the first dip below 70% since the mid‑2010s. Ongoing...
RailFreight Webinar – The Role of Combined Transport During a Fuel Crisis
The ongoing war in Iran has driven oil prices to record highs, prompting a renewed look at fuel‑independent logistics. A free RailFreight webinar on April 13 will examine how combined rail‑intermodal transport can mitigate the current crisis, featuring UIRR policy advisor...
Zambia Champions Rail in Southern Africa, Echoing Central Asian Ambitions
Zambia is positioning itself as the rail hub of southern Africa, leveraging three major projects to break its landlocked constraints. The China‑backed TAZARA line links mines to Tanzania’s Dar Es‑Salaam port, while the Western‑funded Lobito corridor opens a route to Angola’s...
Israel Threatens Strikes on Iran’s Railway Network
The Israeli army issued a warning that Iranian rail infrastructure could be targeted, remaining in effect until 21:00 GMT on 7 April. The United States has already struck Iranian bridges, indicating a coordinated campaign against critical transport links. Iran’s rail network...
10 More Trains per Week in Liège to Boost the Modal Shift
Belgian city Liège adds 10 weekly freight trains via new international services. The new routes connect Liège’s Trilogiport terminal to Stellantis plant in Trnava, Slovakia, moving 277 cars and eliminating roughly 2,000 trucks per week. Additional services from the Liège...
Missed Opportunity for OxSRFI: Heyford Park Town Status Proposal Dropped
The UK government’s shortlist of seven preferred sites for new towns omitted Heyford Park, a 505‑hectare brownfield site in Oxfordshire slated for over 13,000 homes. The location sits beside the proposed Oxfordshire Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (OxSRFI), which could have...
Serbia, Hungary and North Macedonia Sign MoU with Focus on BuBe Railway
Serbian rail freight operator Srbija Kargo, Hungary’s Rail Cargo Hungaria and North Macedonia’s railway signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a synchronized rail service focused on the Budapest‑Belgrade line. The corridor, opened for freight in February, is positioned as...
‘Romania Is About to Reap the Benefits of Infrastructure Works and EU Financing’
Romania, an EU member since 2007, is about to reap the benefits of roughly €10 bn ($11 bn) in Cohesion Fund financing that has modernized 600 km of rail and launched 900 km of works valued at about €6 bn ($6.5 bn). The effort concentrates on...
FS Group Freight Branch Records Near €100 Mln Net Loss in 2025
FS Group’s freight division posted a net loss of about $106 million in 2025, an improvement from the $136 million loss recorded in 2024. Freight volumes slipped, with tonne‑kilometres down 3.8% to 22.0 billion and train‑kilometres falling 5.1% to 46 million. EBITDA turned positive...
Stellantis Vehicles Back on the Railways in Calais After 11 Years
Stellantis has revived rail freight at the Boulogne‑Calais port after an 11‑year pause, moving finished vehicles onto ships bound for Sheerness, UK. The service, run with logistics firm Groupe Charles Andre and SNCF’s VIIA, will see three to four trains...
Verona Greenlights 750-Metre Train Infrastructure for the Interporto Hub
Verona city council approved the IV Rail Module, a major upgrade to the Europa Quadrante Interporto hub that will accommodate 750‑metre freight trains. The Interporto handled roughly 15,000 freight trains and 8 million tonnes in 2025 and is nearing full capacity....
‘No Trains to or From Germany’ as Key Overhead Line Fails
An emergency overhead contact line failure on the Hamburg‑Hannover railway forced a full closure of the line on the evening of March 31. The route, which serves as the primary detour for the already‑closed Hamburg‑Berlin line, now blocks all inbound...
World Bank Approves $2bn Loan: ‘Bosphorus Rail Capacity to Grow From 3 to 50 Million Tonnes’
The World Bank approved a $2 billion loan for Turkey’s INRAIL project, a $8.3 billion, 127‑km electrified rail tunnel across the Bosphorus. The initiative, backed by roughly $7 billion in foreign financing—including a €500 million (~$545 million) contribution from the EBRD—will boost rail freight capacity...
UK TransPennine Upgrade Puts Focus on Freight
The TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is entering an intensive West Yorkshire phase, deploying over 120 engineering trains to renew more than eleven kilometres of track between Huddersfield and Leeds. The work includes installing thousands of sleepers, laying roughly 50,000 tonnes...
“Unique Step” Towards Rail Cooperation in the Rotterdam Port
Rail operators covering 70% of Rotterdam port’s market share have launched a seven‑month pilot called “Track Together.” Using a custom PortFlow application, six firms can assume each other’s train operations when capacity constraints arise. The shunting agreement outlines administrative and...
Continued Recovery in French Combined Transport
French combined rail‑road transport kept recovering in 2025, with tonne‑kilometres rising 3.2% and train‑kilometres up 4.7% versus 2024. The sector still trails the 2022 peak, but now represents almost 45% of France’s total rail freight. Growth is driven by renewed...
Road Freight Is the only Mode of Transport that Grew in the Past Decade
Eurostat’s latest report shows that between 2014 and 2024 road freight was the only transport mode to increase its share in the EU, growing 3.3% to exceed a quarter of all goods moved. Maritime’s share fell 2.5% yet remains dominant...
GBRf Looks Inward to Leadership Transition
GB Railfreight has launched a formal search for a new CEO as John Smith prepares to step back after 25 years at the helm. Interim Managing Director Liam Day and newly appointed COO Ian Langton will oversee daily operations during...
Process Begins for Sale of Rail Logistics Europe Stake
SNCF is advancing the sale of up to 49 % of Rail Logistics Europe (RLE), valued at roughly €800 million (about $860 million), with Lazard and Indosuez handling the process. The stake covers six freight subsidiaries and is slated for completion by 2027....
Operator Wanted for Key Mixed Gauge Terminal in Spanish Basque Countries
Spain’s infrastructure manager Adif is seeking a six‑year operator for the Jundiz Intermodal Terminal, the country’s first facility on the TEN‑T Atlantic Corridor with standard gauge. The minimum bid is about €1.4 million (≈$1.5 million), with a possible extension of up to...
Laude Smart Intermodal to Launch Regular Duisburg-Poland Connection in April
Laude Smart Intermodal will launch a regular intermodal service between Duisburg, Germany and southern‑central Poland in April, deploying its own Iveco truck fleet for last‑mile delivery. The dedicated fleet allows containers to carry up to 30 tonnes, roughly 25% more than...
Italy and Hungary to Implement Customs Corridor
Italy and Hungary have signed an agreement to create a customs corridor that shifts all clearance procedures for cargo arriving at the port of Trieste onto Hungarian territory. The move aims to speed up processing, reduce paperwork and ease congestion...
Rail Underpins eHGV Deployment Strategy
Maritime Transport has launched a nationwide fleet of electric heavy‑goods vehicles (eHGVs) in the UK, initially focusing on rail‑served depots in Wakefield and Birmingham. The strategy pairs zero‑emission trucks with existing rail freight to handle long‑haul legs, leaving short, predictable...
DB Report: Cargo Improves Operating Result by €350 Mln, Still at a Loss
DB Cargo’s 2025 operating result improved by €350 million (≈ $381 million), yet the freight division still posted a modest loss of €7 million (≈ $7.6 million) after a €357 million loss in 2024. Revenue slipped €434 million (‑8%) driven by weaker performance in Germany, the UK and...
Germany Aims for New TAC System by 2027, Way Too Late for Rail Freight Sector
The European Court of Justice struck down Germany's capped track access charge (TAC) system, forcing a rewrite of railway pricing. The transport ministry has pledged a new TAC regime by the 2027 timetable change, but freight operators say this timeline...
First Commercial Tests for Hybrid DAC Deemed Successful
German regional operator Westfälische Landes‑Eisenbahn (WLE) completed the first commercial test of a Hybrid Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) system on a 30‑kilometre run between Lippstadt and Warstein. The hybrid coupler allows DAC‑equipped wagons to be coupled with traditional‑coupled wagons, preserving...
Freight Forward – but Who’s Driving?
The Rail Freight Group delivered its "Freight Forward" report to Westminster, showcasing rail freight’s contribution to the UK economy, decarbonisation and supply‑chain resilience while demanding stronger policy support. It reiterates the sector’s ambition to grow 75% by 2050 and calls...
Russia to Introduce New Penalty Scheme to Boost Rail Infrastructure Usage
Russia’s transport ministry is preparing a "ship‑or‑pay" penalty that would charge shippers for reserving rail slots they do not use, aiming to curb chronic over‑booking on congested lines. The scheme is intended to boost throughput on infrastructure sections where capacity...
Medway Eyes Further Expansion in France After Receiving Its First Locomotives
Medway, the MSC‑group rail freight arm, received its first four Stadler Euro6000 locomotives in Lyon, marking the start of an eight‑unit acquisition costing €4 million per unit (~$4.4 million). The €41.1 million investment, one‑third of which is funded by EU Recovery and Resilience...
German Silence Leaves the Netherlands in the Dark on Railway Planning
Germany’s “Third Track” upgrade, a key link for the Rotterdam‑hinterland rail corridor, will not be completed within the next decade after an 80‑week construction shutdown began in late 2024. The prolonged closure has already forced the Netherlands to cut thousands...
Only 5% of Companies Choose Intermodal in Three Italian Key Regions
An annual Contship‑SRM study of firms in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia‑Romagna shows intermodal transport remains marginal, with usage below 5% in three of the past four years and a one‑off 20% peak in 2023. Across 2019‑2025 the average share of...
HHLA: Rail Growth Outpaces the Road in 2025
HHLA reported 2025 results showing a 10.9% rise in intermodal volume to 1,982 TEU, with rail freight expanding 11.2% to 1,719 k TEU and overtaking trucks. Total revenue climbed 12% to €797 million (≈$870 million) and group revenue reached €1.756 billion (≈$1.915 billion). EBIT surged...
FS Logistix and Logtainer Launch New Port-Inland Connections in Italy
FS Logistix and Logtainer have launched new rail‑freight services linking the Ligurian ports of Genoa and Vado Ligure with inland terminals in Verona and Milan. The partnership enables containers arriving by ship to be transferred directly onto Mercitalia trains for...
Japan Launches Bullet Train for Freight
Japan’s JR East has converted a Shinkansen E3‑2000 series passenger train into a high‑speed freight carrier, removing seats and installing autonomous loading carts. The train completed a 540‑kilometre Tokyo‑Aomori run in 3 hours 15 minutes, traveling up to 275 km/h while hauling 1,000 boxes...
TfN Lays Out Six Priorities for Transpennine Route Upgrade
Transport for the North (TfN) sent a letter to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander warning that the current investment in the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is insufficient for rail freight needs. TfN outlined six priorities, including gauge‑enhancement works costing £55‑£60 million (approximately...
More Speakers Confirmed for the European Cargo Experience
The inaugural European Cargo Experience will take place in Gdansk, Poland, on May 6‑7, 2026, with a program centered on terminal automation and digitalisation. Organized alongside WorldCargo News and Project Cargo Journal, the two‑day event features a high‑profile speaker lineup,...
Swedish Freight-Only Railway Fails to Attract Freight
The West Dalarna Line, Sweden's sole freight‑only railway, has failed to attract freight traffic due to its unique ERTMS Regional signalling system, which limits locomotive compatibility and causes frequent delays. In 2024, 40% of trains to the Fiskarheden sawmill were...
Contract Signed but No Money for Bulgaria-North Macedonia Border Crossing
The Bulgarian Ministry of Transport signed a contract in February to build the first rail border crossing with North Macedonia, but the required €50 million (≈ $54 million) funding has not been secured. The project centers on a 2.4‑kilometre tunnel under the Deve Bair...
DB Cargo to Use AI to Improve Locomotive Spare Parts Forecasting
DB Cargo has launched an AI‑driven Spare Parts Forecasting 1.0 system at its Darmstadt railport to improve spare‑part provisioning for about 60 Class 77 diesel locomotives. The model predicts irregular demand, exemplified by correctly forecasting five oil pumps (six actually used) despite...
Kyrgyzstan Hopes to Connect CKU Line to Broader Rail Network, Middle Corridor
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov announced that the China‑Kyrgyzstan‑Uzbekistan (CKU) railway will be completed by 2030, linking Kashgar in China to Andijon in Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan. The line will integrate with Kyrgyzstan’s existing rail network around Issyk‑Kul and connect to Kazakhstan,...
Disruptions Ahead for Rail to the Port of Southampton
Network Rail will close the Winchester‑St Denys line from 3‑6 April for four days of Easter engineering works, affecting a corridor that handles roughly 3,500 trains each week, many bound for the Port of Southampton. The works focus on switches, crossings, tamping...
China-Europe Rail Freight Surges by 25% in January and February, Even Before Iran War
China Railway reported a 25% year‑on‑year increase in TEU volume on the China‑Europe rail corridor during January‑February 2026, moving 352,100 TEU across 3,501 train trips. Train frequency rose 31.7% compared with the same period last year, reversing a 2025 decline...
