Out of sight, out of mind: the Netherlands falling behind on rail freight
The Netherlands desperately lack a vision for rail freight. That is the message of Hans-Willem Vroon, director of RailGood, a Dutch organisation promoting the interests of the rail freight sector. The Dutch government fails to...Read more
Russia building bizarre 30 kilometre train fortification in Ukraine
Russia is building a bizarre train fortification in Ukraine. The fortification consists of over 2,000 freight wagons and stretches over 30 kilometres. The train, possibly aimed at stopping future Ukrainian assaults, is dubbed the ‘tsar...Read more
Cycling team sends bicycles to Spain by train: ‘Not a one-off stunt’
The Dutch cycling team BEAT Cycling Club will travel to its training camp to Girona this year by train. The bicycles and other equipment will join the team to Spain by rail. “It is more...Read more
Estonian Railways’ losses expected to worsen in the coming years
The losses of Estonian Railways are expected to continue and worsen in the coming years. Earlier, Estonia reported a decline of 43 per cent in freight volumes following sanctions on Russian goods.Read more
Spain to turn Valladolid into major rail hub by 2026
Spain will finish construction works on a rail terminal in Valladolid by 2026. The works will provide the city with a freight terminal, a rail technology centre and a maintenance hub. The project will turn...Read more
Polish farmers to block Ukrainian agricultural exports by rail
Polish farmers intend to block the export of Ukrainian agricultural goods by rail. They plan to hinder the transfer of goods from rail to road transport on the Polish side of the border. Protests against...Read more
Russia grants Belarus 40% rail freight discount
Russia is granting Belarus a discount of up to 40 per cent on rail freight transportation, according to the Belarusian ministry of transport. The two allies have agreed on a discount that applies to the...Read more
DB Cargo Scandinavia to launch pilot service to Danish port town Hirtshals
DB Cargo Scandinavia is launching a pilot rail freight service to the Danish port town of Hirtshals. The port, located at the northern tip of mainland Denmark, provides ferry services to Norway. The pilot is...Read more
CargoBeamer expands Italian rail services, connecting north and south
CargoBeamer is expanding its Italian rail freight services. By mid-February, it will connect its terminal in Domodossola, Northern Italy, with Bari, Southern Italy. From there, freight can easily continue its journey by sea to Albania,...Read more
Rail freight volumes between China and Kazakhstan reach record high
Rail freight volumes between China and Kazakhstan have reached a new record in 2023. Volumes grew by 22 per cent in comparison to the previous year. In total, volumes amounted to 28 million tonnes.Read more
EU to invest 10 billion euros in Middle Corridor
The European Union is allocating 10 billion euros for the development of the so-called Middle Corridor. It has identified 33 infrastructure projects to be financed, among which are many rail projects. The EU hopes to...Read more
Rail freight volumes dropped by 43% in Estonia in 2023
Rail freight in Estonia has taken a hit. Transport volumes dropped by 43 per cent on a yearly basis in comparison to 2022. According to the Estonian statistics agency, the drop can mostly be attributed...Read more
Lithuania and Poland seek regular rail freight route to Ukraine
Lithuania and Poland have expressed their wish for a regular rail freight route to Ukraine. The respective ministers of transport met in Warsaw on Monday to discuss the issue. Such a new route would help...Read more
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan push for more rail along INSTC
The Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have introduced plans to expand rail infrastructure along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). The countries presented these plans at a meeting of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic...Read more
India breaks freight loading record: 143 million tonnes in January
Indian Railways (IR) has broken its record in monthly freight loading. In January, the amount of freight loaded reached 142,7 million tonnes, setting a growth percentage of 6,4 per cent in comparison to January 2023....Read more
Kazakhstan sees record rail freight turnover for the third time in a row
Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) has achieved a record annual rail freight turnover for the third year in a row. In 2023, turnover grew by seven per cent to 269 billion tonne-kilometres in comparison with the previous...Read more
China seeks speedy deliveries and tests high-speed rail freight
China has started a pilot program for a high-speed rail freight line. The pilot programme runs between the cities of Chongqing and Zhengzhou in central China. The line reportedly saves a day in transport times...Read more
Russia fears rail blockade and builds rail ferries for Kaliningrad
Fear of a rail blockade is leading Russia to build three additional rail ferries for its Kaliningrad exclave. The country’s westernmost region is surrounded by EU and NATO member states which control all railways into...Read more
Azerbaijan goes ahead with Zangezur Corridor railway construction
Azerbaijan is actively constructing a railway in the direction of the ‘Zangezur Corridor’. The railway is reportedly about halfway to completion. With the railway, Azerbaijan is looking to open up a free movement corridor through...Read more