{"id":592203,"date":"2026-11-05T21:02:16","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T10:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=75752"},"modified":"2026-11-05T21:02:16","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T10:02:16","slug":"combined-transport-in-europe-back-in-decline-in-q3-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=592203","title":{"rendered":"Combined transport in Europe back in decline in Q3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Combined transport (CT) volumes in Europe fell by 1.23% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to UIRR. After a brief stabilisation in the spring, the sector is back in negative territory, and its members now expect a negative business climate for the next 12 months.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>UIRR said in its latest quarterly newsletter<\/a> that the economic environment for CT deteriorated further between July and September. Some members still see positive prospects, but the wider European situation \u201cdoes not leave much room for optimism in the short term\u201d, the association said.<\/p>\n

The causes are familiar: German corridors running at minimum capacity, extremely low water levels on the Rhine that disrupted terminals as well as barges, inadequate alternative routes and rising track access charges. All of this comes on top of low economic growth and high inflation.<\/p>\n

A short-lived recovery<\/h2>\n

The third-quarter figure ends a brief recovery. The year started with a 4.92% drop in consignments in the first quarter, which UIRR attributed<\/a> to intermodal trains not being given adequate bypass routes around fully closed lines in Germany and elsewhere. At the same time, the weak economy freed up trucking capacity, making a switch back to road an easy choice for shippers.<\/p>\n

The second quarter then closed with a modest increase of 0.29%. \u201cThis is a relatively strong result considering the severe headwinds that the sector faces\u201d, UIRR said<\/a> in August. Growth came mostly from France, where authorities continue to promote CT and fund intermodal equipment, as well as from Poland and the Baltic states. Germany and Italy, two of the largest markets for intermodal transport, held back the overall result.<\/p>\n

In other words, two of the first three quarters of 2026 ended below last year\u2019s levels, and the only positive one was barely above zero. Sentiment followed a similar path: UIRR members rated the outlook as slightly negative in both the first and second quarters, while it is now negative for the period up to 30 September 2027.<\/p>\n