Freight transport by rail – myth or possibility?

Why should freight transport be shifted to rail?

The motivation for this demand is understandable – it is based on several socially and politically highly relevant goals:

Reduction of CO₂ emissions

Rail is considered a climate-friendly mode of transport. It produces significantly fewer emissions per tonne-kilometer than trucks. In times of ESG reporting requirements, climate targets, and sustainability strategies, this is a strong argument – ​​especially for companies that want or need to improve their ecological footprint.

Relieving the burden on road infrastructure

The condition of many roads and bridges in Germany is critical – this is clearly evident in Bremen, where not a single bridge over the Weser River is currently fully load-bearing. Shifting traffic to rail could relieve pressure on road traffic and thus on the infrastructure.

Political signal of the transport transition

For many political actors, the railway is more than just a means of transport—it is a symbol of a "green," centrally controlled transport transition. Promoting rail thus also represents ideological principles and political objectives.

Security of supply & energy independence

Since rail transport in Germany is largely electrified, it is seen as potentially less dependent on oil prices – a strategic advantage, especially in geopolitically uncertain times.

Why the train is not (yet) a real alternative

Despite all the advantages, the reality of freight transport is often quite different. The railways struggle with structural problems that make a genuine shift difficult—or even impossible.

Unreliability and lack of infrastructure

Decades of investment backlog, outdated technology, congested routes, and numerous construction sites – all of this leads to massive problems with planning reliability. For many shippers, rail is simply not reliable enough.

Route conflicts with passenger traffic

Passenger trains have priority on the rail network, leading to significant delays, diversions, and waiting times for freight traffic. This is a serious disadvantage, especially for time-critical deliveries.

Missing rail connections

Only a few companies have a direct rail connection. Therefore, most shipments require pre- and onward carriage by truck – which costs time, money, and CO₂ emissions, often negating the advantages of rail.

High handling effort

Transshipping between different modes of transport not only increases costs but also increases the risk of transport damage. Just-in-time logistics or pallet-based deliveries are hardly practical under such conditions.

Long transport times

Especially on national or regional routes, rail is often significantly slower than trucks – a clear competitive disadvantage in a world where speed and flexibility are crucial.

We can also report from our own experience: We have already calculated the cost of rail as a possible alternative to trucks on behalf of our customers on several occasions. In all cases, the economic evaluation favored trucks. Even when the cost difference was small, the customers ultimately always opted for trucks – due to their greater reliability and more flexible deployment options.

What's interesting is that even though we took over all the organizational tasks related to pickup, pre-carriage, and delivery for the customer, these very logistical interfaces remained the weak points in the system. The more links in a transport chain, the more things can go wrong – from delays to transport damage.

Bottom line: The more often a shipment has to be reloaded, the higher the risk of damage, delays, and operational problems. A risk that many of our customers are understandably unwilling to take.

Given the challenges outlined above, it is hardly surprising that the politically desired shift of freight transport to rail has not been realized to the extent hoped. The figures speak for themselves : rail's share of EU-wide freight transport was only 17% in 2023. Inland waterway transport accounted for 5%. In contrast, road freight transport continues to grow: while around 74% of freight transport was carried by road in 2013, this figure had already risen to 78% by 2023. This development clearly shows that trucks continue to be the backbone of European logistics, not just out of habit, but above all for reasons of efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.

The strength of the truck – today and in the future

Electrification is progressing

Modern electric trucks already achieve considerable ranges. Charging infrastructure is being gradually expanded, and rail's ecological advantage is shrinking with each passing year.

Autonomous driving as an innovation driver

Autonomous trucks could solve personnel shortages in logistics and enable continuous transport without breaks – a massive gain in efficiency, especially on long-distance routes.

Economic efficiency for smaller shipments

Rail is particularly profitable for large, predictable volumes. For small and medium-sized companies with partial loads, customized delivery schedules, or direct customer deliveries, trucks remain clearly advantageous.

The human factor: Why the future cannot be planned

History has shown time and again that predictions about the future of technological developments are often inaccurate. Want some examples?

• “The car will not prevail – there are too few coachmen.”
• “I think there is a world need for maybe five computers.” (allegedly IBM, 1943)
• “Mobile phones? A toy for yuppies!”

These misjudgments demonstrate that the future is created by innovation, entrepreneurship, and competition – not by government-imposed planned economies. Subsidies can help, but they are no substitute for genuine market logic.

Conclusion: The railway is a supplement – ​​not a replacement

For large companies with stable supply chains and predictable volumes, rail can be a useful component in the logistics mix – especially in combined transport (rail + road).

For many medium-sized companies, however, the truck is the only alternative for economic and practical reasons.

A complete replacement of trucks by rail is not feasible in today's or foreseeable reality – and would be a step backwards for many shippers in terms of flexibility, cost-effectiveness and innovation.

🚛 Our expertise – your advantage

Are you planning reliable, efficient, and flexible transport? We would be happy to support you with our many years of experience in the smooth handling of truck transports – both nationally and internationally.

At the same time, we will continue to examine all potential alternatives, such as rail transport, for you upon request – objectively, realistically, and individually tailored to your requirements.

Let's work together to find the best solution for your logistics needs. Just contact us!