The volume of rail freight in the Netherlands has dropped by seven per cent in 2024, amounting to 39,7 million tonnes. It is the second consecutive year that the number shows a decline, after it dropped by 10 per cent in 2023. The drop is almost entirely due to a lower amount of coal imports in Germany, as the country switches to more sustainable forms of energy.
Coal transportation dropped by 37 per cent, from 8 million tonnes in 2024 to 5 million tonnes in 2023. Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail says that the drop was in line with prior expectations.
ProRail notes that, unlike coal transportation, intermodal transport did not show any major performance shifts. The availability, price and capacity of the various modes of transport to the (European) hinterland play an important role for the volume of intermodal transport, and there are some comments to be made about those factors.
Infrastructure and prices
Rail freight experienced major infrastructural and financial hindrances in the Netherlands in 2024 – especially on the busiest routes towards Germany. Most notably, the 80-week construction works on the German side of the border began, which has major consequences for capacity on the Betuwe line. The important Brabant and Bentheim routes also faced capacity restrictions during the year.
In terms of prices, ProRail says that it has changed the formula of calculating its rail fees, which lowered track access charges. By contrast, the change increased the fees for parking and the use of shunting yards. “This has had the effect of increased costs for a number of parties”, the infrastructure manager says.
That has had some negative effects in terms of a reverse modal shift, ProRail notes. “Margins in the transport sector are usually tight, and competition is intense. Customers cannot always be charged for the increase in costs, with a reverse modal shift as the result. Loads were transferred from train to road transport. This seems to happen mostly in the intermodal short-distance segment.”
Other performance indicators also show decline
Alongside the total volume of freight, the sector’s performance in terms of train-kilometres also worsened: it fell by 8,4 per cent and amounted to 8,5 million kilometres throughout the year. Likewise, tonne-kilometres dropped by 8 per cent and constituted 12,5 billion.
In 2023, Dutch rail freight showed an even greater drop in volumes. At the time, it dropped by 10 per cent compared to 2022, which was a record year, and amounted to 42,7 million tonnes. ProRail explained that freight volumes were exceptionally high in 2022, and that 2023’s drop could be explained by a return to normal.
For example, there was a relatively high demand for coal after Europe sought to replace its Russian gas imports in 2022. Increased coal consumption subsequently boosted freight volumes on the Dutch network. Simultaneously, rail diversions from Belgium contributed to higher amounts of freight being transported in the Netherlands. In 2023, the relatively high demand for coal subsided and detours for trains from Belgium were no longer needed.