A new intermodal service on behalf of Volkswagen is now underway. The rail leg connects the company’s factory in Bratislava to the port of Venice, where the cars are loaded onto ships and taken to China.
The new initiative has been made possible by significant rail developments at the port of Venice, on the Italian northeastern coast. Last month, a new terminal suitable for 740-metre trains was opened in Marghera port, the freight part of the port of Venice.
Initially, there will be one vessel leaving Italy for China every two weeks. From 2026, the service will see 20 trains between Bratislava and Venice and one vessel to China each week. This will translate into 100,000 vehicles passing through the Italian port every year.
Volkswagen embracing intermodality
The Slovakia-Italy-China intermodal service is not the first initiative of this kind for the German car manufacturer. One year ago, the company started a rail-road pilot deploying EcoDuo trucks, able to transport two semi-trailers. The bigger trucks run between the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg to the MegaHub Lerthe. From there, a freight train takes the cargo to Barcelona and EcoDuo trucks are deployed again for last mile deliveries.
European Silk Road Summit
The role of rail and intermodality in connecting Europe and Asia, especially China, will be thoroughly discussed at the upcoming European Silk Road Summit. This year, the event will take place in Milan, Italy, on 19 and 20 November. Check out the programme here and get your ticket here.