Rail freight in Czechia has not had a great early summer numbers-wise. July’s volumes were lower than any other July since data recording started in 2016. The year-on-year decline amounted to two per cent.

“There is not much to add to the overall figures for July. The whole market is falling and there was no such bad result for July [yet]. At least since 2016, when we have been recording this data”, rail association ŽESNAD’s executive director Oldřich Sládek told a Czech publication.

Freight turnover fell to 2,478 billion gross tonne-kilometres, making July the weakest month of 2024 until now, according to data from ŽESNAD. It is a decline of two per cent compared to July 2023.

Phasing out of heavy commodities

The tonne-kilometre downturn can be explained by heavy commodities being phased out in Europe, says international affairs specialist at ČD Cargo, Petr Jindra. “The heaviest commodities (coal, iron ore, iron products, steel and other heavy commodities) are gradually being abandoned in Europe.” Jindra also points to the relatively light weight of new goods entering the rail freight market, meaning they cannot compensate for the lost tonne-kilometres.

As for the market participants, ČD Cargo took less than half of the market share in July. Metrans Rail follows the Czech state operator in second place. Orlen Unipetrol Doprava occupies the third spot. Czech publication Zdoprava points out that “the fall of PKP Cargo International continues”. The Polish company took the sixth largest market share.