Iran war | RailFreight.com https://www.railfreight.com News about rail freight Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:13:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /favicon.ico Iran war | RailFreight.com https://www.railfreight.com 32 32 Israel threatens strikes on Iran’s railway network https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2026/04/07/israel-threatens-strikes-on-irans-railway-network/ https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2026/04/07/israel-threatens-strikes-on-irans-railway-network/#respond Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:53:54 +0000 https://www.railfreight.com/?p=70473 The Israeli army has warned Iranians to stay away from rail infrastructure. The warning remains active until 21:00 on 7 April. Earlier, the United States threatened (and conducted) attacks on bridges in Iran.
The warning suggests that the Iranian rail network could be a prime target for Israeli (and American) attacks today. With earlier American attacks on infrastructure, such as the now partially collapsed B1 road bridge, it is possible that there will be significant damage to the rail network.

Iran’s railways play a modest role in China-Europe rail freight traffic, serving as an alternative route to operations through Russia and along the Middle Corridor. At the same time, Iran’s railways serve as a key part of the International North-South Transport Corridor. It connects Russia to the Indian Ocean, offering quicker access to some export markets, particularly India.

International rail operations through Iran have already been disrupted due to the ongoing war, but targeted attacks on the rail network could have a more lasting impact. Following the B1 bridge strike, Israel and the United States could target the Ghotour or the Veresk rail bridges. The former links up to Türkiye, the latter is a vital part of the INSTC’s eastern branch.

The Iran war has severely disrupted international logistics, including beyond rail. Maritime shipping is hindered due to the Hormuz Strait closure. Meanwhile, air freight through the Gulf states is also disrupted.

Saudi rail is planning to help pick up some of the lost capacity. Saudi Arabia Railways will increase the rail transport of containers from its ports in the east, RailFreight.com reported last week. With the Strait of Hormuz unavailable, the Saudi railway network can become a key alternative route to keep (some) goods moving.

]]> https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2026/04/07/israel-threatens-strikes-on-irans-railway-network/feed/ 0 China-Europe rail freight surges by 25% in January and February, even before Iran war https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2026/03/20/china-europe-rail-freight-surges-by-25-in-january-and-february-even-before-iran-war/ https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2026/03/20/china-europe-rail-freight-surges-by-25-in-january-and-february-even-before-iran-war/#respond Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:38:40 +0000 https://www.railfreight.com/?p=70147 The Eurasian land bridge from China to Europe is off to a great start of 2026. The number of freight trains on the route grew by 31.7%. In terms of volume measured in TEU, there was a 25% year-on-year surge. China Railway has optimised scheduling to meet market demand, the company explains.
Trains moved a total of 352,100 TEU on the China-Europe route in January and February. This is 25.2% higher than during the same period of 2025. The 3,501 train trips amounted to a 31.7% increase year-on-year.

Growth on the China-Europe route stands in relatively stark contrast to the developments seen in 2025. During that year, the total number of train trips grew by only 3.2% to approximately 20,000. At the same time, the volume transported fell by 1.3% to 2.1 million TEU. China saw fewer outbound trips (9,898 trips, -6.1%) and more inbound operations (10,100, +14.4%).

Chinese railway authorities have strengthened coordination and operations on the China-Europe route since the start of 2026, according to the state rail operator China Railway. Moreover, the company optimised scheduling to align with market demand. In addition, China has sought to optimise the digital port system to make customs clearance more efficient.

Impact of the Iran war

It is important to note that the China-Europe rail freight volume in January and February 2025 fell by 11% year-on-year. The current early-year increase is therefore a partial rebound of last year’s losses.

Meanwhile, it is useful to bear in mind that the data from January and February 2026 relate to the period preceding the Iran war. The ongoing hostilities in the Middle East have caused fuel prices to surge, which could push maritime rates up. Simultaneously, the conflict is exerting pressure on air freight operations.

This could bode well for China-Europe rail freight, which could bypass high-risk areas and is less sensitive to changes in energy prices. In other words, the early-year growth could continue in the coming months.

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