In 2023, despite facing a challenging market landscape, the Rail Cargo Group (RCG) remained resilient, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of goods with nearly 420,000 trains put into operation. However, geopolitical tensions and soaring energy costs, triggering an industrial slowdown in crucial markets, led to a notable decrease in demand and capacity utilization for RCG. Particularly impacted were single wagonload transport (SWL) and continental intermodal transport, where rail struggled against the competitive advantage of road transport due to disproportionate cost increases in electricity versus diesel.
Nevertheless, ÖBB’s freight transport division, including RCG, delivered a commendable performance, closing the year with €13.0 million in earnings before taxes. Despite a slight dip in revenue to €1.91 billion from €1.94 billion in 2022, RCG ensured the safe delivery of almost 420,000 trains, transporting 78.5 million net tonnes and covering over 26.1 billion net tonne-kilometres. The company’s expansion efforts were evident with the establishment of a branch in Shanghai and a new carrier company in Serbia, expanding its operational footprint across 13 countries. Moreover, the RCG Annual Review highlights numerous achievements, including the introduction of new TransFER connections and multimodal transport solutions for prominent clients, showcasing RCG’s commitment to innovation and growth despite market challenges.