The economic downturn in Germany and Europe continues to have a negative impact on freight transport and intermodal transport. In 2024, the operator Kombiverkehr KG transported around 780,000 containers, swap bodies and semi-trailers, equivalent to 1.5 million TEU. This is 5% less than the previous year. The main decline was recorded on international routes (-6%), while volumes within Germany fell by 3%. The situation was also affected by extensive construction work on the rail network, including the months-long closure of the Riedbahn. Despite the difficulties, the use of rail transport allowed the company’s customers to reduce CO2 emissions by 1.12 million tonnes.
In addition to the decline in demand, the extensive infrastructure work affecting the quality of transport and increasing costs posed a significant challenge for Kombiverkehr. According to Managing Director Armin Riedl, the crisis was even deeper than in 2008-2009. His colleague Heiko Krebs noted that numerous repairs are causing train delays and inconveniences for customers. At the height of the work, the cancellation rate reached 10-15%. Among the most affected routes are the Rhine Valley and the trans-European corridors, including the lines via the Tauern Pass between Salzburg and Villach.
Despite the difficult situation, Kombiverkehr managed to launch new train routes in 2024, including the Rotterdam-Cologne, Antwerp-Irun and Duisburg-Hallsberg lines. In January 2025, the company also restored the connection between Lübeck and Verona. In addition, the operator successfully implemented a large-scale project to change traction operators due to EU requirements, which required coordination with numerous partners and was completed in February.
The company calls on the authorities to improve the conditions for combined transport, including the abolition of tolls for road sections when delivering containers to terminals. A 16% increase in rail tariffs in the third year of the recession will only increase the shift of freight back to road transport, according to management. Kombiverkehr expects new incentives for the sector to emerge after the elections, including additional investment in infrastructure and terminals.