Rail Cargo Group intensifies EU-Türkiye intermodal connections
Rail Cargo Group, Austria’s national rail freight operator, is continuing to develop its intermodal network in Central and Southeastern Europe. It launched three new rail freight connections between Türkiye and the EU member states. Moreover, the Austrian railway undertaking increased the number of train journeys on the way from Istanbul to Romania.
The brand new connections, which were launched by Rail Cargo Group (RCG), are related to Germany and Slovakia. Starting from July 2022, the Austrian railway undertaking has been offering offers direct and reliable train service between the key economic centres of Western Europe and Southeastern Europe, particularly from Giengen in the east of Baden-Württemberg in Germany to Cerkezköy, about 80 kilometres west of Istanbul. This intermodal connection runs twice a week in each direction.
Another novelty from RCG is the two rail freight links between Türkiye and Slovakia. Both connections were developed to become a transit route between Türkiye and the entire Central Europe as well as replace the service from Sopron in Hungary to Istanbul. Meanwhile, these connections have some differences. The trains on the Bratislava – Istanbul route run once a week via Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, they also connect Slovakia with the European part of Türkiye. At the same time, the Bratislava – Köseköy service is available twice a week in each direction. Its Turkish terminus is located on the Asian side of the country, over 110 kilometres east of the city core of Istanbul. This is preferable in the case of moving freight from China to Europe via the Middle Corridor.
RCG’s third novelty is more round trips on the existing Istanbul-Curtici route, which connects Türkiye and Romania just in 72 hours. In July 2022, the railway operator added the third journey between the termini. It explained its decision on the additional service via the growing popularity of the Middle Corridor for the deliveries between China and the European Union. “After all, Istanbul is a significant freight hub on the Southern Silk Road for transport between Europe and Asia, connecting Western European economic hubs with the countries of Southern and Southeast Europe,” RCG stated.