The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved a bill on the reform of the railway market, which introduces a new transportation model based on European standards. This step is aimed at harmonizing with EU legislation within the framework of the Association Agreement with the European Union.
A working meeting of the management of JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy with the largest shippers of the region was held in Karaganda, where they discussed factors affecting freight transportation. The Karaganda branch occupies a strategically important place in the railway network of Kazakhstan, annually handling about 50 million tons of cargo, which is a fifth of the total freight turnover of KTZ.
ÖBB Rail Cargo (RCG) is upgrading the TransFER Wels–Vienna–Budapest route for the transport of non-crane semi-trailers, strengthening intermodal transport and facilitating the shift in freight flows from road to rail. Previously, such transport was only possible on the TransFER Genk–Curtici route, but is now also available on the new route. Three times a week, the route connects the Austrian terminals of Wels and South Vienna with the Hungarian terminal BILK, linking the economic hubs of Western Europe with Southern and Southeastern Europe and Turkey.
A memorandum of cooperation was signed in Astana between JSC KTZ Express and the Romanian company Midia International SA. At the official meeting, the parties discussed the prospects for the development of transport and logistics links between Kazakhstan and Romania, as well as possible joint projects in the field of cargo transportation.
The new TransFER route will operate four times a week between the logistics centre of Wels and the port of Lübeck, one of the largest Baltic Sea ports in Germany. As a key logistics hub in Central Europe, Wels ensures the distribution of freight flows across the continent, while Lübeck serves as an important transhipment point for rail freight to Scandinavia and the Baltic States. TransFER will also operate three times a week to Kiel, extending the logistics chain to Northern Europe.
The construction of the Rail Baltica station near Riga Airport continues with the construction of viaducts that will raise the railway line above ground for convenient passenger movement. An important stage of the project was the completion of the reinforced concrete frame of the station, which already reaches three floors. In the future, the station will be connected to the airport by a pedestrian bridge, and the railway line in the directions of Riga and Jaunmārupe will pass along viaducts up to one kilometre long.
TX Logistik AG began operating the first three of 40 modern Vectron locomotives ordered from Siemens Mobility in May 2023. The expansion of the locomotive fleet is a key step for TX Logistik to continue growing in the field of intermodal and cross-border rail freight. The new locomotives will primarily be used on strategically important north-south corridors in Europe, such as the Brenner and Swiss Corridors.
The EBRD has provided Serbia with a €50 million loan to upgrade its railway infrastructure. The funds will be used to purchase materials for upgrading the track on the reconstructed sections of the railway. The work will last two years and is aimed at improving the reliability and safety of transportation.
JSC KTZ Express successfully conducted an experimental shipment of cargo with double-tier container loading via the dry port KTZE – Khorgos Gateway along the Altynkol – Zhetygen – Altynkol route. This technology allows to significantly increase the throughput capacity of transportation, which helps to reduce logistics costs and speed up delivery.
In January-September 2024, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy transported about 190 million tons of cargo, which is 1.1% more than in the same period last year. Domestic transportation amounted to 124.4 million tons, and 65.5 million tons were exported. Significant growth was observed in the transportation of coal – 73.3 million tons, of which 52 million tons were sent to the domestic market. Domestic grain transportation increased by 11.2% to 1.7 million tons, with a total of 6.7 million tons of grain transported.
