On January 11, the first fully loaded A2B-online Express train with 41 containers successfully departed from the port of Moerdijk (Netherlands) to Melzo (Italy). This route, which currently operates three times a week, will be expanded to four times a week from March 2025. The new service offers a direct connection between the Netherlands and Italy, optimizing the supply chain and reducing delivery times.
The European rail logistics market is actively adapting to modern requirements, and more and more operators, including state-owned companies, are relying on versatile six-axle hybrid locomotives. The European Loc Pool (ELP) is successfully expanding its customer base by leasing Euro Dual and Euro 9000 locomotives from Stadler Rail.
These services on the Polish German corridor began on January 8, 2025.
From January 15, GTS will launch another freight train connecting the south and north of Italy. The new route will run between Nola (Naples province) and Parma (Emilia-Romagna). The decision is due to the growing demand for intermodal transport in the country. Initially, the train will run twice a week in both directions.
One of the main goals of Azerbaijan in the context of economic diversification is to transform the country into an international transport hub. The favorable geographical location at the intersection of East-West and North-South routes plays a key role, but requires modernization of infrastructure and strengthening of international cooperation. The development of multimodal transportation – rail, road, sea and air – has become a strategic direction.
The Dostyk-Alashankou transport hub has set a new freight turnover record of 18 million tons. This result underlines the strategic importance of the corridor for international logistics. The new figure has become a symbol of the efficiency and successful development of the hub.
Estonian company Operail is the first company in the country to test single-driver freight transport. The C30-M series locomotive, developed and built by the company itself, has entered service. This locomotive has successfully passed the test and received approval for single-driver operation.
From September to December 25, 2024, Kazakhstan exported 3.7 million tons of new crop grain, which is 54% more than in the same period of 2023 (2.4 million tons). The main growth came from Uzbekistan (+44%), Tajikistan (+53%), Afghanistan (+52%) and Kyrgyzstan (+22%). Exports to Iran via the port of Aktau increased more than 30 times, reaching 435 thousand tons against 14 thousand tons a year earlier.
The new CR450 electric train was unveiled in Beijing, having successfully passed tests at a speed of 450 km/h. The tests confirmed key parameters: reduced energy consumption, improved braking performance, and reduced noise levels in the cabin. The CR450 is designed to operate at a maximum speed of 400 km/h, and its design is 10% lighter and 22% more aerodynamically efficient than its predecessor, the CR400 Fuxing. Passenger comfort has also been improved, including a 4% increase in space and a 2 decibel reduction in noise.
In February 2025, SJSC “Latvijas dzelzceļš” (LDz) will announce a tender for the Riga-Liepaja passenger rail infrastructure modernization project. The project includes design and construction. In order for interested suppliers to be able to familiarize themselves with the procurement conditions and offer their recommendations, LDz organized an online consultation on 7 January 2025.
