‘Everyone should have a fair share of COVID-19 support measurements’
Non-discriminatory support measures for everyone in the rail freight sector. That is what the European Rail Freight Association wants from the European Commission and the Member States, responding to the the second COVID-19 wave hitting...Read more
Is it possible to transport vaccines for COVID-19 by rail?
Although Europe is making no move to buy Chinese vaccines, cooperation between China and Europe in the fight against the pandemic is inevitable, so are the large cross-border shipments of vaccines. However, while discussing the...Read more
Nippon Express doubles China-Europe connection
Nippon Express, a high-ranking logistics company in Japan, announced its plans to increase the rail services connecting China-Europe. Beginning from next year the company is eager to double the freight trains it operates, as a...Read more
UK rail freight copes with coronavirus
Since March the rail freight industry in the UK has been among the most appreciative of the key workers who have kept the country running during the lockdown and restrictions that have been imposed to combat...Read more
Countdown starts for digital edition of Track Access Charges Summit 2020
The allocation of track access charges is an area of intense debate in the rail sector, especially now that COVID-19 is affecting rail transportation. Tomorrow, on 14 and 15 October during the Track Access Charges...Read more
Frozen seafood transported to China tests positive with coronavirus
The concern that the coronavirus could be transported via frozen food has once again risen in China, now that some positive samples of seafood were detected in the port of Qingdao. Two workers unloading the...Read more
Little room for optimism among combined transport operators
Combined transport volumes have decreased by 7 per cent this year, and this is a trens unlikely to swing in the other direction soon. Companies in this sector do not expect an upward trend for...Read more
How companies deal with new pandemic consignment demands
Since roughly March this year rail freight companies have seen an increase in exceptional consignments. These include products that had to be transported specifically to meet emergency needs during the pandemic or the consumer changes...Read more
Austria announces discount on track access charges
Following the example of France, the Austrian government wants to support rail freight operators with a discount on the user charges for the rail infrastructure. It made this announcement last Saturday. The measures are expected...Read more
Find alternative Brexit ports UK business and freight operators told
The UK government has issued a veiled warning that it expects disruption at the busy English Channel ports in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit transition period ending on 31 December. Politicians in London have...Read more
Belgian rail freight sector asks waiver of track access charges 2020
The Belgian Rail Freight Forum has asked its government for short-term support to get the sector through the crisis. At the peak of the pandemic, there was an average 30 per cent less demand for...Read more
EU proposes waiving of track access charges as support measure
The European Commission has proposed a regulation that allows EU Member States to waive or reduce track access charges as well as reservation charges. This is to support railway undertakings, which are facing challenging times...Read more
Scientists: European Silk Road should help recover Europe post-corona
A European Silk Road could contribute to the recovery of Europe after COVID-19. Alternatively, a network of high-speed railway lines should help restoring the continent. This was concluded by Economists at the Vienna Institute for...Read more
Trucks at Chinese-Kazakh border halted to prioritise rail freight
Severe congestion at the Kazakh-Chinese border has led to a halt of all truck traffic, in order to ensure the continuance of Europe-China rail. This was announced by the China Railway dispatching center . The...Read more
VTG calls for industry support post-pandemic
The European rolling stock lease and rail logistics company VTG has set out a programme for industry after the pandemic, and it puts rail freight at the heart of recovery. The company says supporting the railway...Read more
UK in quarantine – what now for rail freight
As of today, the government in London has imposed a quarantine period of two weeks for all visitors entering the UK. What are the implications for freight movements into the British Isles?Read more
‘Freed-up capacity for freight should be new normal’
Now that passenger traffic gradually returns to the railways of Europe, it is a good moment to reflect on the much-debated capacity issue for freight. If there is one lesson learnt from the corona crisis,...Read more
UK carers and key workers celebrated with loco logo
DB Cargo UK adds a splash of colour in recognition of key workers around the UK, with a specially liveried ’66. Drawing a groan of grudging approval from all concerned, DB Cargo UK say they...Read more
New Silk Road carries another medical train, this time to Paris
A block train loaded with medical equipment has left the Chinese province of Jiangxi today, 4 June, headed for Paris. The service is organised by Russian Railways, SNCF Forwardis, COSCO Group and JSC UTLC ERA,...Read more