RailFreight

The decision by Spain’s Ministry of Transport to drop an electrified double-track option for the Teruel–Sagunto section of the Cantabrian–Mediterranean Corridor has prompted anger from Aragon’s regional government. It said the move would create a bottleneck on the route to the Port of Valencia and called it a “historic error”.

private operators growth Published on 2026-07-17 at 11:58 Rail Cargo Group's market share dropping. Image: Shutterstock © Austria’s rail freight market continued to shift away from Rail Cargo Group (RCG) in 2025, as competing operators moved closer to controlling half of all traffic despite difficult operating conditions. According to the latest annual report from Austria’s rail market regulator, Schienen-Control, their combined market share rose by more than 5% to just under 50%.

When it comes to Asia-Europe logistics, rail freight has to compete with sea shipping, which is usually cheaper but has longer transit times. However, an upcoming project to start regular services across the Arctic Sea, led by Chinese Sea Legend Shipping, might make choosing the sea even more attractive, as transit times are slashed compared to the traditional route through the Indian Ocean.

Sweden has reopened the Gothenburg–Borås railway three weeks after a freight train derailment closed the route, restoring freight access between Gothenburg and industrial and logistics centres in southern Sweden. With the Western Main Line already restricted, the derailment also knocked out a diversionary route, forcing freight operators to compete for scarce paths on the remaining lines.

UPGRADE READY AT YEAR'S END Published on 2026-07-17 at 10:17 Image: LinkedIn © Shipping giant MSC seems to have set its eyes on the rail freight terminal at the Interporto Bologna, one of the main logistics hubs in central Italy. Between unsubscribed shares and the 35% put for sale by the city of Bologna, the Swiss company might find its way to become majority shareholder. Subscribe to gain access to all news Already have a subscription? Log in. Digital i The price excludes VAT.

The Spanish government is once again accepting applications for a subsidy scheme aimed at helping rail freight operators deal with higher diesel prices. Interested parties can apply until 11 August and can receive 15,000 euros per diesel locomotive in their fleets. This is the second time Spain is accepting applications for this scheme. The first one was launched last April with a total budget of 3.15 million euros.

DAC in Poland Published on 2026-07-16 at 11:42 From Germany to Poland, DAC testing is progressing. Image: LinkedIn © Rail Sweden Poland will host a new round of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) tests in Poznań from August, focusing on whether coupler heads and draft gears from different manufacturers can be combined safely and reliably. The 12-week campaign is the next stage of the EU-backed FP5-DACtiVate project. Subscribe to gain access to all news Already have a subscription? Log in.

A new service in Italy will connect the ports of Gioia Tauro and Livorno via rail to boost automotive logistics. The initiative, led by FS Logistix, GTA and Automar, will focus on vehicles coming to Gioia Tauro from the Far East and destined to the Italian and European markets. The service will be operated by Mercitalia Rail, part of FS Logistix and will link the Automar terminal in Gioia Tauro with the Il Faldo site in Livorno, managed by GTA.

Data in the Spotlight Published on 2026-07-16 at 08:46 Rail yard in Budapest, Hungary. Image: Shutterstock © Hungary’s rail freight market remains in “sharp decline”, with demand falling for a third consecutive year as operators contend with rising unit costs and declining revenue.

AV Dawson, owner and operator of the English Port of Middlesbrough, has announced an investment of five million pounds in the facility. This money will go to a new dry bulk rail terminal which should boost unloading capacity by 40%. The future dry bulk terminal will feature a new unloading pit, rail line, bespoke conveyor system and dedicated storage warehouse. A new concrete loading pad will provide customers with both indoor and outdoor storage options, AV Dawson says.