Several Central Asian destinations become part of RCG’s network
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group is expanding its Eurasian network, focusing on Central Asia. The Austria-based company now serves several markets in the region, offering two different connection routes that follow the Middle Corridor.
With the motto “We bring Central Europe and Central Asia closer,” RCG will utilise its existing Central and Southeastern European network, which will now also extend to the Middle Corridor. The focal point of this latest expansion is not China but Central Asia. Trade between Europe and this geographical region is gradually picking up pace, and the Middle Corridor transforms into a route mainly absorbing these volumes and less those directed to China.
According to RCG, the latest network additions include destinations in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The company will operate sixteen regular intermodal services to and from those destinations with a transit time of around 30 days. “A key benefit of these transport solutions is that they safely and reliably transit through non-sanctioned countries, allowing customers to obtain transport insurance,” commented RCG.
Two alternatives
When thinking about the Middle Corridor, the route that also includes a Black Sea leg between the port of Constanta and the port of Poti comes first in mind since it is the most famous and used. RCG will make no exception in this sense since one of the alternatives that it will use is connecting to Almaty and Astana in Kazakhstan, Ashgabat in Turkmenistan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan via Constanta, Poti and Baku.
However, the company, which is well-established in Turkey, will also use Istanbul as a gateway for a route that will use rail more than the other one. Consequently, the same destinations can be reached by rail via Turkey, Georgia (Tbilisi), Armenia (Yerevan) and Azerbaijan (Baku). RCG serves the Istanbul area and specifically terminals in Kapikule, Cerkezkoey and Köseköy quite frequently while it also has the partners and technical knowledge for cargo forwarding towards the Caucasus and further.
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