{"id":197935,"date":"2025-04-09T18:25:40","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T08:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=61447"},"modified":"2025-04-09T18:25:40","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T08:25:40","slug":"contargo-beefs-up-rail-freight-offering-with-france-germany-poland-shuttles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=197935","title":{"rendered":"Contargo beefs up rail freight offering with France-Germany-Poland shuttles"},"content":{"rendered":"

German multimodal operator Contargo, which offers freight transport solutions by barge, train and truck, will launch two rail shuttle services linking France, Germany and Poland later this year.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>This follows the company’s acquisition of a 10% stake in the Lille Dourges Container Terminal (LDCT) in northern France, a key intermodal freight transport hub in the region. Effective end-August 2025, Contargo plans to introduce the Duisburg-Dourges Shuttle (DDS) and the Poland-France Shuttle (PFS).<\/p>\n

Addressing the French media at the recent Semaine du Transport et de la Logistique (SITL) exhibition and conference event in Paris, Andreas Mager, the company\u2019s director of Rail Services, said it will mark the first time that Contargo has offered continental rail links that are not directly connected to a port. \u201cFor us, it represents an important step in our development of the French market,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Bringing key hubs together<\/h2>\n

The DDS will link Dourges to the Duisburg DIT terminal in the Ruhr region of Germany, with three return trips per week. It will also offer scope for connections to Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and China.<\/p>\n

As for the PFS, it will offer two routes from Dourges to the towns of Krzewie and Kutno, both situated near \u0141\u00f3d\u017a, in central Poland. The first will be a direct link with one return trip per week initially – the frequency could then be doubled depending on volumes – while the second will require an intermediate stop at the Duisburg DIT terminal. The section between the DIT and Kutno will be operated via a partner link on the PCC network with five return trips weekly.<\/p>\n

Overall, the transit time between Lodz and Dourges is between 45 and 48 hours. While there is reportedly a very strong demand for East-West freight capacity from customers in the retail, chemicals, furniture, and cosmetics sectors, the challenge facing Contargo will be finding volumes on the eastbound leg.<\/p>\n

More to come?<\/h2>\n

In January 2024, the Mannheim-based company became a shareholder in Dutch rail operator DistriRail B.V., which has its home base at the Port of Rotterdam. At the time, the now former Contargo managing director, Thomas L\u00f6ffler, said that the company, together with its co-partners, was planning to significantly increase the number of return trips on the Rotterdam-Duisburg connection in the coming years.<\/p>\n