DB Cargo France has just launched a new service between Metz, in the French northeast, with Valenton, in the outskirts of Paris. The service will be on behalf of IKEA and it is the company’s “first service as a combined transport operator”.
The new service was already announced last summer, but as of last night (30 June 2025) it is a reality. Other than DB Cargo France and IKEA, it also involves logistics company Portmann Group, part of Swiss Post Cargo. Moreover, Novatrans and Rhenus Logistics participate as the managers of, respectively, the terminal in Valenton and the one in Metz, (where IKEA has a distribution centre). This shift to rail is expected to remove around 6,000 trucks from the roads.
Trains will run five times a week in both directions. “Developing intermodality for our markets, particularly in France, is a priority for IKEA”, said Claes Lindgren , Head of Transport and Logistics Services at IKEA Supply Chain Operations. This is not the first time that IKEA opts for rail services in France. Back in 2023, the company partnered with CFL to introduce a connection between Poznan, in Poland, and Sète, making it one of longest intermodal services in Europe.
Unloading the train at the Valenton terminal. Image: © DB Cargo France