Germany, Austria and Switzerland ask for EU-wide DAC commitment

The governments of Germany, Austria and Switzerland said that their efforts in the context of deploying Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) “are necessary, but not sufficient”. They are asking for the creation of an EU-wide funding mechanism, financial commitment from all Member States and strong foundations from the sector. Germany, Austria and Switzerland are thus asking…

Italian waste goes on the rail to Austria to be transformed into fuel

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, says an ancient proverb. This still seems to be applicable when it comes to Italian waste, some of which will be turned into alternative fuels in Austria. Rail Cargo Group (RCG) launched a multimodal service to transport waste from the Maddaloni-Marcianise terminal, near Naples, to Combi Cargo Terminal…

HHLA acquires majority stakes at Roland Spedition to boost intermodal business

A new majority stake acquisition of Roland Spedition GmbH, a full-service rail and road transport operator, allows HHLA to boost hinterland links to and from Austria. The Hamburg-based company took over 51 per cent of the Austria-based intermodal service provider and now eyes optimising combined transport operations within its network. Shareholders and managing directors of…

Austria starts 250,000 euro support scheme for single wagon transport in Tyrol

Austria has started a 250,000 support scheme for single wagon transport in Tyrol, bordering Italy. The programme has been in effect since 1 April. It is not supposed to be a one-time love affair with rail as it aims at a long-term modal shift breakup with the road. The scheme aims at “greater efficiency, a…

German Passau corridor closes for renovation, diversions seem unviable

As Germany is planning for much-needed rail infrastructure renovations, points of contention arise. While renovations are necessary for the outdated network, significant infrastructure downtime could lead to serious consequences for the rail freight industry. Especially the Passau corridor closure is causing sweaty palms. Germany is planning to renew its rail infrastructure network. In an interview…