Category: Business

TAC increases across Europe might kill rail freight operators

Track Access Charges (TACs) are on the rise in many European countries. For many rail freight operators this is a massive burden that could threaten their very existence, as their Ability-to-pay is basically null. RailFreight.com had a chat with Andrea Giuricin, transport economist at the University of Milan Bicocca, to better understand this trend and…

German rail renovations to cost Austrian industry 250 million euros

Austrian industries are set to lose 250 million euros over the planned German rail renovations. The neglected German rail network is crucial for Austrian industrial transportation. The upcoming disruptions and lack of bypasses are a major thorn in the eye of the sector. Germany is about to renovate large parts of its rail network in…

Swedish rail investments “urgent” for industry to flourish

Investments in Swedish rail are a necessity for the country’s industry to flourish. One in four of Sweden’s industrial companies is seriously affected by disruptions, stoppages, or a lack of rail capacity. In the long term, this could hinder the sector’s competitiveness. A quarter of all industrial companies in Sweden are seriously affected by disruptions,…

China-Europe: railways are congested and container rates are spiking

China-Europe trade corridors are currently facing some significant issues concerning container rates as well as congestion along the railways. Concerning rail freight, congestion concerns the ​​Alashankou and Khorgos border crossings between China and Kazakhstan. Moreover, some issues are starting to surface at the Małaszewicze border crossing in Poland. Rail congestion is having a serious impact…

PKP Cargo eyes “untapped” semi-trailer market for business revival

Polish state-owned rail freight operator PKP Cargo is looking for ways out of its dire financial situation. The company’s new management took the drastic step of suspending nearly a third of its workforce to save money. Now, its strategy director says that the company is looking to semi-trailer transportation for new business opportunities. PKP Cargo…

TX Logistik launches new Göteborg – Umeå intermodal connection

TX Logistik is launching a new intermodal service in Sweden. The company will run a biweekly round trip from Göteborg to Umeå via Eskilstuna near Stockholm. At all locations, the train will make stops at intermodal terminals. The Mercitalia Logistics subsidiary offers 32 loading units per train on the biweekly round trip. Both cranable and…

Hupac’s numbers during 2023 decreased across the board

Hupac’s volumes in general fell by 11.7 per cent, from 975,000 to 845,000 road consignments. In financial terms, this translated into a “consolidated result” of -6,2 million euros. Transalpine volumes, the largest market segment for the company, decreased by 7.6 per cent. For non-transalpine traffic, the drop was set at 14.9 per cent. “Maritime hinterland…

Fuel, electricity and labour costs behind new KTZ cargo fee hikes

Higher fuel, electricity and labour costs are forcing Kazakh Railways’ cargo division (KTZ-GP) to increase its prices. Indebted Kazakh Railways (KTZ) is increasing its prices all across the board, to the dismay of the business community. KTZ is deeply in debt and needs higher income to cover its budget gaps. Even with a fourfold revenue…

Kombiverkehr adds Niš MBOX Terminal to its intermodal network

A win-win solution between Kombiverkehr and MBOX Terminal will see the two partners extending their service network. The two companies have commenced a new collaboration that will see freight trains linking Wels in Austria and Niš in Serbia. The partnership is in effect already and starts by offering three weekly roundtrips between the two locations.…