How is this crisis different from the one that took place half a century ago? Is combined transport in a better position to offer help than it was back then? How are the different industry segments coping? This and more questions will be addressed with Ersek and Koubek as well as the audience.

European Cargo Experience

The webinar will also be the perfect opportunity to get the latest on the upcoming European Cargo Experience, where Koubek will participate as a speaker. Organised by RailFreight.com in cooperation with World Cargo News and ProjectCargo Journal, this brand new event will take place in Gdansk, Poland, on 6 and 7 May.

The main focus of the event will be on digitalisation and automation in terminals. For example, the issues of data sharing and digital standards will be key topics tackled from different perspectives. Interoperability between different loading units will also be one of the main focus of the event.

As usual, there will also be a site visit and an exclusive networking dinner, as well as plenty other opportunities to mingle during the two days. Join the webinar to discover more about the European Cargo Experience and enjoy a discount on the ticket. Otherwise, more information can found here and you can secure your spot here.

Metrans pointed out that the only thing left to do is “the completion of all legislative processes”. The Czechia-based operator is not the only company that recently showed interest in the AFLUENT Arad South Terminal. For example, semi-trailers on rail specialist Helrom implemented a new connection between Dusseldorf and the Romanian terminal.

METRANS explains that it has been unable to achieve planned capacities in all ports in northern Germany, including Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven. Hamburg terminals are operating with delays of several hours. There are also cancellations without replacement slots.

Both exports and imports through the German ports are disrupted. This is due to traffic restrictions imposed by the German infrastructure manager DB InfraGO and the continued disruption of train circulation in the region. Additionally, METRANS explains that all services passing through Germany and Rotterdam remain affected.

The cold has not yet left Poland

The winter weather remains present further east, in the Polish port city of Gdańsk. Ice is causing delays of 12-15 hours. The BalticHub terminal has reduced the number of truck slots by 70%, which has a negative impact on container transportation between Gdańsk and the neighbouring port city Gdynia.

Connectivity and industries

The Szeged terminal will boast a number of important benefits. METRANS points out that the future hub will connect local industrial and commercial flows with broader European trade networks. Improved connectivity will also help to attract investments to the region, such as in the manufacturing, automotive, electronics, fast moving consumer goods and e-commerce industries.

“The launch of construction for our second Hungarian terminal is a significant step that reflects our long-term commitment to the future rail and intermodal logistics development”, commented METRANS CEO Peter Kiss.

“Years of collaboration and shared achievements have made Hungary far more than just an investment location for METRANS. The expected growth in international freight flows, strong domestic investments and the supportive business environment create highly favorable conditions for further joint development.”

German and Chinese ventures in the city

Szeged has managed to attract two key industrial investments in recent times, for which the logistics needs in the city are certain to grow. For one, the Chinese automotive company BYD is poised to open a production plant in early 2026. Large-scale production will then start in Q2 and could reach up to 300,00 cars produced annually.

Moreover, the German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall opened a factory in Szeged just this week. The facility will make products for the company’s automotive business unit, including electrical components and products for the use of hydrogen in mobility and energy generation. In addition, some 10% of the production area is planned for goods from the military business of Rheinmetall’s Electronic Solutions division, the company announced in 2024.

Together with Szeged’s strategic location, those investments make for an attractive business outlook. A quick look at open sources reveals that Szeged is relatively well-connected via rail to Serbia, and from there to the Piraeus port in Greece. Budapest is a stone’s throw away, as well as the Arad logistics hub in Romania. The Slovenian port of Koper is also not far off.

Political representation at groundbreaking ceremony

It is clear that Hungary itself also attaches great importance to the construction of METRANS’ terminal. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade István Joó and the head of the investment agency, László Botka.

Metrans’ expanding network

The HHLA subsidiary has been on a mission to increase its presence in Eastern Europe. Other than this new project in Košice, Metrans recently upgraded its terminal in Dunajská Streda, on the other side of Slovakia.

Moreover, the company is building a terminal in Szeged, near the Hungarian border with Serbia, scheduled for opening in 2027. Finally, HHLA International recently acquired Eurobridge Intermodal Terminal, a facility in Batiovo, near the Ukrainian borders with Hungary and Slovakia.

This location is also equipped with a dual gauge infrastructure to facilitate traffic between Ukraine and the rest of Europe. Paired with the one in Košice, less than 150 kilometres away, Metrans will get two terminals able to manage trains in both broad and international gauges, strengthening its position in the region.

The train is one of few that has a fixed transit time. Duisburg has been the main European destination. The addition of Česká Třebová and the future addition of Budapest as destinations are, in that sense, a bit unique.

“Electric trucks are an important investment in the future for us. It’s not just about modern technology, but a clear commitment to our customers and society as a whole – we want to show that ecology and business can go hand in hand,” said Peter Kiss, Chairman of the Board of Directors of METRANS.

Complementing rail freight sustainability

The six vehicles complement METRANS’ rail freight activities and wider multimodal operations. The company is part of the Hamburg-based HHLA Group, which has set a target of achieving climate-neutral production by 2040.
Volvo Trucks is supplying the vehicles and supporting infrastructure.

“Volvo Trucks greatly appreciates being a partner to METRANS on the road to a sustainable future in transport and logistics. The Volvo FH Electric is a powerful, zero-emission truck that meets the demands of today’s modern logistics without compromise,” said John Muldoon, Director of Volvo Group Czech Republic.

The move underlines how combined road and rail solutions are being reshaped by emissions reduction goals across Europe. For METRANS, integrating electric trucks with rail freight services is expected to enhance the group’s environmental performance and strengthen its role as a multimodal logistics provider.

Full-service operations in Prague

The terminal currently covers 420,000 square metres and is able to handle up to 10 trains simultaneously. Its equipment includes six gantry cranes, 13 reachstackers and a fleet of nearly 300 trucks. In terms of volume, the site manages around 7,500 loaded TEU and 10,000 empty TEU at a time. Operations run 24/7, supported by services such as customs clearance, container maintenance, VGM weighing, refrigerated cargo handling and real-time digital shipment tracking.

Kiss underlined that resilience is as important as capacity: “A reliable logistics partner is not the one running on the inertia of ordinary days, but the one who systematically invests in development, innovation, and crisis management.” METRANS’ digitalisation drive, including the implementation of the NCTS-5 customs system, has already reduced clearance times by up to 40%.

Expanding the European footprint

The Prague hub plays a central role in METRANS’ wider strategy. The company has doubled its market share in Poland over the past five years, expanded connections to the New Silk Road, and continues to add new services. A recent development is the Arad–Bucharest connection, while construction is underway for a new terminal in Szeged, Hungary.

Such expansion ensures redundancy and operational flexibility, particularly during periods of disruption such as extreme weather or corridor closures. During the pandemic, for example, METRANS maintained 98 per cent of its services without significant delays.

Looking ahead

With the Prague terminal at full speed, METRANS is also preparing for the next phase of innovation. The group has introduced an e-truck strategy aimed at enhancing first- and last-mile delivery, complementing its intermodal rail services. Kiss stressed that stability and adaptability will remain at the core of the company’s offer: “Certainty, stability, and tailor-made solutions – that’s what makes us a reliable partner, even in uncertain times.”

Besides those sectors, EU member states can choose to extend the ETS-2 obligation to other sectors as well. Czechia has decided to exempt rail freight, but there is no guarantee that other countries will follow suit. For example, the Netherlands has decided to include as many sectors as possible to reduce the administrative burden and risk of fraud. Dutch rail freight will therefore be subject to ETS-2.

An important signal

Despite the risks of exemptions, a lower cost burden for rail freight will, of course, be celebrated by the sector. Illustratively, METRANS CEO Peter Kiss wrote on LinkedIn that the rail freight exemption for ETS-2 is an “important signal”.

“Electric traction is already the most efficient and sustainable mode of transport. Adding a carbon cost here would have penalised the very sector that has been delivering the strongest environmental benefits for years”, Kiss commented.

ETS-2: “mere taxation” for rail freight

In 2024, chairman of the Board of Directors of Czech national freight operator ČD Cargo, Tomáš Tóth, explained to RailFreight.com that ETS-2 can only raise the costs of rail freight without providing much environmental benefit. That is because on non-electrified lines, any environmental benefit would come from using battery-powered or hydrogen-powered locomotives.

However, that technology is not quite there yet. “Battery and hydrogen locomotives are only available as prototypes in the form of light shunting locomotives. The technologies are not yet elaborated to such a degree that they could substitute existing diesel locomotives”, Tóth said.

“The introduction of ETS-2 in railway transport would, therefore, only make it more expensive. Without the existence of adequate mainline locomotives of independent traction that will be able to use alternative propulsion, any motivating factor of emission allowances disappears”, Tóth explained. ETS-2 would then simply amount to “mere taxation”.

Most notably, the railway between Hamburg and Berlin will remain inaccessible until April 2026. There are currently modernisation works ongoing, forcing trains to take detours through Hannover and Rostock.