The rail freight service connecting Perpignan and the Rungis International Market in Paris, known as train des primeurs, was halted in June. Operators intending to…
Category: Fret SNCF
End of the line for France’s iconic fresh produce train
The so-called train des primeurs operated by Fret SNCF, which carries fresh fruit and vegetables from Perpignan, in southwest France, to Paris, is to be withdrawn. However, the service could return in 2026 under a new form after the construction of a combined transport terminal at the French capital’s Rungis wholesale market. The seasonal service…
Demonstration in Paris to save rail freight ‘for the planet and jobs’
A demonstration will be held in Paris today, Tuesday, 28 May, to save rail freight “for the planet and jobs.” The protest is being staged by a platform grouping labour unions, Sud Rail, environmental protection and social justice associations, the Alliance Ecologique et Sociale, and Alternatiba Paris. The demonstration focuses on the impact of the…
Another French union voices concerns over discontinuation of Fret SNCF
The decision of the French government to restructure the national rail freight operator Fret SNCF to avoid European sanctions keeps sparking contrary reactions. The National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions (UNSA) recently highlighted how this initiative will have “nefarious effects” on France as a whole. The UNSA, which claims to have over 200,000 members, is…
DB Cargo France: ‘traffic decline balanced out by SNCF’s routes pickup’
In an interview with Railfreight.com, Alexandre Gallo, President and CEO of DB Cargo France and President of the Association Française du Rail (AFRA), comments on market trends and the outlook for the remainder of the year and beyond while responding to shippers’ current perception of the industry. How did rail freight markets play out in…
Deutsche Bahn does not rule out DB Cargo sale
Deutsche Bahn (DB) does not rule out the sale of its freight subsidiary DB Cargo. Looming EU sanctions over excessive state support are forcing DB to find an escape route. A partial sale of financially underperforming DB Cargo might be on the table. According to Handelsblatt, DB does not rule out a sale of its…
European rail a mixed bag: Polish PKP Cargo profits while others struggle
Rail freight operators in Europe are performing very differently. Big names such as DB Cargo and Lineas are in trouble, but in Poland, the annual figures were an invitation to uncork the champagne bottle. Despite the call for more sustainability in logistics and transport, freight transport by rail is not always an attractive modality for…
Fret SNCF urges government to postpone company discontinuation
The Social and Economic Committee (CSE) of Fret SNCF recently sent a letter to the French government asking to introduce a moratorium to review the discontinuation of the company. “We believe that the hasty action taken by the French government and the SNCF management will not allow the railways to make the necessary changes”, the […]
SNCF Group in the black for third consecutive year, freight EBITDA also positive
The SNCF Group has recorded a third consecutive year in the black, thanks mainly to the strong performance of its high-speed (TGV) passenger services. Net profit totalled 1.3 billion euros compared to the record figure of 2.4 billion a year earlier, while turnover was up 0.7 per cent at 41.8 billion euros. “The Group is […]