The expansion will be implemented in early April. It will help to grow the capacity of the company’s French connection between the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea. CargoBeamer will start offering daily departures in both directions.

With a transit time of 26 hours, the Calais-Perpignan route is open for all semi-trailers, including non-craneable ones. In the northbound direction, the connection provides access to North Sea ports. In the opposite direction, freight can reach southern France and northern Spain.

Also in Germany

At the same time, Captrain has announced the introduction of a new service in Germany in cooperation with LIT Speditions. As part of their SmartRail Logistics joint venture, daily train service has been introduced between the Roland Terminal in Bremen and the Port of Stuttgart. This new connection enhances the existing intermodal network, specifically targeting industrial and commercial enterprises along the key north-south corridor.

Rail transport, handled by Captrain, includes connections to the abovementioned main terminals as well as Bremen-Sebaldsbrück and Sindelfingen. LIT coordinates the pre- and post-carriage by truck.

“With the new connection, we can reliably, quickly, and flexibly cover diverse logistics needs on this important corridor”, commented Jérôme Méline, Managing Director of Captrain Germany and SmartRail Logistics. “Whether large or small shipments, conventional or intermodal freight, with or without rail sidings: Together with SmartRail, we enable suitable logistics solutions for a wide range of companies, products, and logistics requirements.”

About the Author

Dr. Eugen Truschkin is a senior infrastructure and transport consultant with more than 17 years of experience in rail freight, intermodal logistics, and large-scale transformation programs across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Currently, he serves as Director Rail and Intermodal Logistics Consulting at DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH, leading multi-disciplinary teams and end-to-end delivery of complex consulting engagements. In parallel, he is active as a researcher, author, and speaker in logistics and transport economics, with peer-reviewed publications and international guest lectures.

Truschkin welcomes your opinion on the (future) role of semi-trailers in rail freight and the modal shift. We extend an open invitation to contact the author or the editorial team with your views. What is the path forward in the use of semi-trailers in switching freight from road to rail?

Despite the EU’s modal shift goals, the modal split has seen little change in the past decade. As a result of the prevalence of semi-trailers, technologies for transshipping this equipment from road to rail are gaining more and more importance. To illustrate: in 2024, EU road freight transport remained dominated by semi-trailers, accounting for 77% of transport performance, and 95% of which are non-craneable.

The number of semi-trailers in the EU has grown significantly, increasing by about 50% in the last decade from 2 to 3.1 million. At the same time, the ratio of cranable to non-cranable trailers in production remained unchanged (95% non-cranable vs 5% cranable). Freight forwarders and shippers seem to consistently choose semi-trailers as the main loading unit for European road freight, showing a clear preference for non-cranable units at the same time.

In Germany specifically, around 70% of all semi-trailers are owned by small transport companies (defined as employing fewer than 50 employees), posing additional challenges for a shift to rail due to low competence in combined transport and the general “path dependency” effect, causing a “locked in” in the road transport. In other words, the habit of using road transport makes a shift to rail more difficult. Smaller companies, in particular, are often even less inclined to use combined transport, as they typically lack the resources, experience, and bargaining power needed to adapt their operations to alternative transport solutions.

Techniques to load semi-trailers onto trains exist in vertical and horizontal form. They both offer unique advantages and disadvantages, which impact their business case. The following pictures show vertical and horizontal semi-trailer transshipment technologies that have been accepted onto the EU transport market at the time of writing.

Vertical and horizontal technologies

Vertical technologies (where semi-trailers are loaded onto a train with a crane) offer a manageable investment requiring only transfer baskets, as well as immediate operational readiness, and compatibility with existing conventional terminals. However, they also present drawbacks, such as slower loading and unloading compared to horizontal options, and a greater space demand in traditional terminals which already operate at high capacity. Their primary application is as an additional offering in standard combined transport terminals and for industrial operations with dedicated tracks.

Horizontal technologies offer the advantage of much faster loading and unloading compared to vertical systems, along with partial compatibility with existing terminals operated by companies such as CargoBeamer and Helrom with the latter also boasting operational capacity independent from terminals. Other operators, such as CFL Multimodal, utilise Modalohr technology. However, these technologies necessitate large-scale investments for both terminals and rolling stock (for Helrom: rolling stock only), and a significant drawback is that the technologies are generally not interoperable. Therefore, they are best suited for high-traffic lanes with dedicated terminals. In case of Helrom, it is suited also for industrial operations with dedicated tracks).

Current trends and future outlook

Despite the compatibility challenges, semi-trailers drive the growth of combined transport and are the most dynamic unit. In the case of Germany, it accounted for 34.15% of the total combined transport performance, with a compound annual growth rate of 14% in the period between 2005 and 2024. However, other solutions could further encourage the modal shift from road to rail. Even as non-cranable semi-trailers continue to play a major role, there is potential for more intermodal-friendly options, such as practical 45′ stackable loading units which help optimise infrastructure and increase capacity.

A pivotal question persists: Why load an entire semi-trailer onto a train when only the goods matter? Transporting the trailer (including wheels, frame, et cetera) adds unnecessary costs. Alternatives like the Stackmax 45 (see below), a stackable swap body with similar capabilities to a semi-trailer, present promising solutions.

Stackmax appears to be the first EU innovation which combines the benefits of a semi-trailer (payload, efficient loading and unloading from four sides) with the benefits of a container (stackabillity and less tare weight compared to semi-trailers). This solution would be compatible with all existing conventional intermodal terminals in Europe.

Despite these novelties, a rapid shift from semi-trailers is unlikely in the short to medium term due to the current ownership structure, established investments, and the lack of EU-wide policy initiatives preferring specific loading units for combined transport.

Semi-trailers will continue to play a leading role in both European road and combined transport. Although new technologies and intermodal-oriented solutions are developing, substantial changes in market structure and stronger policy support are needed to accelerate the modal shift from road to rail.

Do you want to share your view? You can reach out to the RailFreight.com editorial team, or to Dr. Eugen Truschkin via the button below. You can also leave a comment.

The new service will operate three weekly round-trips, but CargoBeamer is planning to increase the frequency to 6 weekly round-trips by Q2 2026. The company is also looking to extend the service into other parts of northern Italy.

The cancelled Rolling Highway

The introduction of this new Liege-Domodossola service is partially a response to the cancellation of the Rolling Highway, CargoBeamer tells RailFreight.com. The company can pick up a part of the volume previously serviced by the Rolling Highway service, despite offering a different route and not transporting trucks and truck drivers. CargoBeamer sees a gap in the cross-alpine market for semi-trailer transportation, especially non-craneable ones, and is looking to start more services in the region in the future.

As RailFreight.com reported in December, operator RAlpin had to cancel its Rolling Highway service in part due to the impactful construction works in Germany. CargoBeamer admits that the works will also affect its operations on the Liège-Domodossola route, although emphasises that it likely won’t pose “any major challenge”. It won’t have the same detrimental effect.

The Rolling Highway likely faced increased cancellation rates as a result of the construction works, because it could not be as flexible in its operations due to its responsibility to transport trucks and their drivers. CargoBeamer offers unaccompanied connections, which means that it can more easily run delayed trains and keep operations going.

The company announced the construction of the terminal in Kaldenkirchen last summer, labelling it as one of the most advanced intermodal transshipment facilities in Europe. Expectations are quite high, with over 200,000 semi-trailers planned to be shifted from road to rail every year.

Dutch trains depart daily from Sunday to Friday from the Cabooter Terminal in Venlo. Romanian services depart from Friday to Wednesday from the Intermodal Terminal Oradea. The services can accommodate both craneable and non-craneable semi-trailers, as well as Frigo trailers (reefer), ADR trailers (regulated dangerous goods) and tank trailers, containers, and swap bodies.

Venlo’s strategic position

Venlo, in the southeastern Netherlands near the German border, has become one of Europe’s busiest inland logistics hubs thanks to its central location between the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp and major industrial regions in Germany. The Cabooter Terminal at Venlo is a key node in Europe’s intermodal rail network, offering efficient access to markets across Western and Central Europe. CargoBeamer’s decision to base its new route there underlines the Dutch city’s role as a strategic crossroads for North Sea–Danube trade.

CargoBeamer operates a unique logistics model that enables both craneable and non-craneable semi-trailers to be transferred between road and rail using its patented wagon and terminal technology. By integrating road-haulage flexibility with the environmental benefits of rail, the company has positioned itself as a key overland transport operator driving the decarbonisation and digitalisation of Europe’s freight corridors.

Strengthening East-West logistics

“With Venlo – Oradea, we are establishing one of the first direct intermodal links between the Netherlands and Romania, which is an important step towards further connecting Western and Eastern Europe,” said Boris Timm, COO of CargoBeamer.

“This new service enables sustainable transport over a long distance of approximately 1,500 kilometres. The connection between Venlo and Oradea marks another milestone in the expansion of our European network, supporting both our entry into Eastern Europe and the continued growth of the CargoBeamer network.” It was just a few months ago that CargoBeamer announced further expansion with a new terminal in Kaldenkirchen.

The route is being operated under a mixed concept, with Romanian logistics provider Routier European Transport using most of the available train slots and providing rail traction, while remaining capacity is offered to the open market. According to CargoBeamer, switching from road to rail on this corridor cuts carbon emissions by around 88% compared to diesel truck transport — a reduction of roughly 1,800 kilograms of CO₂ per semi-trailer.

Expanding a sustainable network

The new Venlo–Oradea link strengthens CargoBeamer’s position as a major player in the decarbonisation of European freight transport. The company’s patented transshipment technology allows even non-craneable semi-trailers to be moved efficiently by rail, bridging a gap that has historically limited intermodal transport’s reach. The sector for moving road trailers by rail is active and highly competitive in Europe. Operators including state-backed VIIA in France and independent operator Helrom in Germany.

CargoBeamer currently operates services across Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania, and continues to expand its network of terminals and scheduled intermodal connections across the continent. The Venlo–Oradea service adds a new corridor between Western and Eastern Europe, offering both environmental and operational advantages to shippers seeking alternatives to long-haul road transport.

This article was originally published by our sister publication WorldCargo News.

The design of the facility is specifically catered to the automated loading of non-craneable semi-trailers to rail, explains CargoBeamer. With an annual handling capacity of 228,000 loading units, it should help take hundreds of thousands of semi-trailers off the road.

“The new facility in Kaldenkirchen will serve as the company’s first proprietary terminal in Germany”, says CargoBeamer. “With its highly automated and proprietary transshipment technology, CargoBeamer continues to set new standards in the road-rail freight transport.” The company points to its Calais terminal from 2021, which it says has demonstrated the “maturity and reliability” of CargoBeamer’s system in day-to-day operations.

Modal shift momentum

In terms of its business strategy, CargoBeamer calls the future Kaldenkirchen terminal a major milestone in the company’s growth. It hopes to open up opportunities for combined road-rail transport in the Rhine-Ruhr and Benelux markets.

The Kaldenkirchen terminal will be built in two phases on the existing Cabooter Group site. Phase one, starting autumn 2025 and finishing in late 2026, will cover 133,000 square metres, see the implementation of CargoBeamer’s transshipment technology, over 270 semi-trailer parking spots, and automated check-ins and check-outs. Existing operations will largely continue during construction. After 2026, the full expansion will grow the site to 159,000 square metres.

“By building our first CargoBeamer terminal in Germany, we are delivering the momentum needed to accelerate the modal shift across Europe”, CEO Nicolas Albert stated. “Kaldenkirchen will be home to our largest terminal yet, where we’ll demonstrate the full capabilities of the CargoBeamer system. To achieve a large-scale shift of semi-trailers from road to rail, the intermodal industry needs frequent services and terminals designed specifically for semi-trailers – which is exactly what we’re delivering in Kaldenkirchen.”

CargoBeamer is now looking to support the construction of two of its terminals in Kaldenkirchen and Domodossola with the money. The work is supposed to start in 2025 and finish by 2026. Once finished, the two terminals will bring the total number of CargoBeamer terminals in Europe up to three. The company already has a terminal in Calais, France.

Boosting the modal shift

“We are excited for our capital partnership with OIC, in which we have laid important cornerstones to make CargoBeamer the intermodal champion that drives the much-needed modal shift of freight from road to rail,” commented Nicolas Albrecht, CEO of CargoBeamer.

“From the first day, OIC has proven to be a visionary partner dedicated to help realising state-of-the-art infrastructure that allows to decarbonise land-based transportation in Europe. Our terminals in Kaldenkirchen and Domodossola are perfectly placed on the ends of the most-frequented intermodal corridor in Europe, and the unmatched density and speed of our rail connections in between will be instrumental in shifting freight to rail at scale.”

For its part, OIC had some kind words to say about CargoBeamer as well. “CargoBeamer’s proprietary technology will be instrumental to enabling the road to rail freight transition, which aligns with our objective to build cost-advantaged logistics solutions that also enhance decarbonisation efforts,” said Jeremy Glick, Investment Partner and Head of Infra Growth at OIC. “We are confident that CargoBeamer will drive the modal shift to rail in Europe with its two extremely innovative new intermodal terminals.”

“By integrating the economically vibrant Stuttgart/Kornwestheim region into our network, we are providing an essential link for businesses to leverage the benefits of rail between Germany and Italy.”

Semi-trailers across the Alps

“The Stuttgart – Domodossola line complements the company’s existing Kaldenkirchen – Domodossola route, which has already facilitated the transportation of thousands of semi-trailers over the Alps each month”, the company writes. “By enabling trailer transport without tractors or drivers, CargoBeamer allows logistics providers to optimise resource allocation while significantly reducing their carbon footprint.”

“We are thrilled to enhance our offerings in France following a challenging year in 2023. The Calais – Perpignan connection, bridging the English Channel and the Mediterranean region, has proven to be a dependable route. It allows freight forwarders to transport goods nearly 1,400 kilometres by rail while achieving over 90 per cent CO2 savings”, Boris Timm, Chief Operating Officer at CargoBeamer, commented.

“The increased frequency to four round trips per week offers our customers greater flexibility and reinforces our commitment to expanding intermodal solutions for non-craneable semi-trailers in France”, Timm said.

Extended transportation

CargoBeamer’s Calais terminal offers onward rail and sea connections to the UK, northern France and the Benelux, explains the company. Services to Perpignan enable further transportation to southern France and Barcelona’s industries.

It said the aid was being granted in accordance with Article 93 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which allows Member States to introduce aid measures to meet the needs of transport coordination. The Commission took the view that the aid is necessary to encourage the development of rail freight and modal shift and that it has an incentive effect since, without public aid, the beneficiaries would not make the investments in question.

CargoBeamer and VIIA

CargoBeamer opened its Calais terminal in the summer of 2021 by launching four weekly round trips between the Channel port and Perpignan, on the French-Spanish border. The company indicated at the time that the terminal had the capacity to handle up to six round trips by train daily while also noting that subsequent development would see this extended to 12 round trips per day.

VIIA, the rolling highway subsidiary of Rail Logistics Europe (RLE), which groups all of SNCF’s rail freight and logistics activities, won a tender in February 2022 to operate the Port of Sète’s new multi-modal terminal ahead of its scheduled opening at the beginning of last year. The total investment in the build-out of the Sète terminal is estimated at 20 million euros with the regional public authority of Occitanie and the port, which it owns, contributing almost 8.7 million euros, with VIIA is putting in €8 million.

In November 2023, VIIA, Danish ferry operator and logistics provider DFDS and the ports of Sète and Calais signed a Memorandum of Understanding to connect the Mediterranean with Northern Europe. The operational co-operation agreement aims to improve the flow and reliability of trade between Türkiye, the EU and the UK using both ferry and rail transport modes. It encompasses the transportation of goods on DFDS’ ferry services from the Turkish ports of Yalova and Izmir to Sète; a rail connection between Sète and Calais, operated by VIIA; and a ferry service from Calais to the port of Tilbury, in the UK, operated by DFDS.