FS revenue grows in first half of 2025
The Ferrovie dello Stato Group has approved its financial report for the six months to 30 June 2025, following a board meeting chaired by Tommaso Tanzilli. Total operating revenues reached €8.2 billion, an increase of €188 million compared to the first half of 2024. Operating costs rose by €204 million, totalling €7.2 billion. FS Group's technical investments amounted to €8.5 billion, marking a 15 percent increase.
DB Cargo considers drastic cuts
DB Cargo is reportedly considering a drastic reduction in its single wagonload (Swl) service, potentially eliminating up to 80 percent of such operations and cutting 8,000 jobs. According to Handelsblatt, the move is driven by the need to reduce losses and comply with EU rules on state aid. The Swl service accounted for 14 percent of Germany's rail freight traffic in 2023, with DB Cargo handling 90 percent of that segment in 2024. This service is vital for industries such as steel, chemicals, automotive and construction. Its cancellation could force companies to shift to road transport, raising costs and placing further strain on an already congested road network. According to the EVG union, the restructuring could threaten between 4,000 and 8,000 jobs and undermine climate targets and supply chain resilience. DB Cargo remains the only operator offering nationwide Swl services in Germany.
Rail cooperation between Turkey and Kazakhstan
Turkey and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to strengthen freight transport along the Middle Corridor. The deal was announced by Turkish transport minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu following the official visit of Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Turkey at the end of July. The agreement aims to improve capacity and service quality, promote regular block trains and increase traffic along the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line. It also includes cooperation on digitalisation, customs and joint investments. Tokayev pointed out that 85 percent of land freight traffic between Europe and China passes through Kazakhstan, underlining the strategic value of the Trans-Caspian transport route. The agreement is one of 20 signed to enhance bilateral cooperation in key sectors such as energy, space and logistics.
EU approves €47 million for Ertms in Poland
The European Commission has approved a €47 million programme to support the installation of the Ertms Baseline 4 system or higher on new or modernised railway vehicles in Poland. The scheme, covering both freight and passenger transport, will provide direct grants to rail companies until the end of 2029. The funding comes from the FEnIKS 2021-27 programme, supported by the European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Funds. The contribution may cover up to 85 percent of eligible costs, including equipment and technical adaptations.
Austria to raise road tolls
From 2026, Austria will implement a 13 percent increase in road tolls, accompanied by higher CO2 emission charges. According to Doris Hammer, president of the Upper Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the measure will negatively affect transport companies and consumers, adding to inflation, which already stood at 3.3 percent in June. The annual cost of operating a 40-tonne lorry will rise from €81,000 to €92,000. Austria already has one of the most expensive toll systems in Europe, with €50 allowing a truck to travel less than 100 kilometres, compared to double that distance in Germany. New truck registrations fell by 20 percent in 2024.
Vingroup to invest $14.3 billion in Haiphong
Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup Jsc has announced plans to invest around 373.84 trillion dong ($14.3 billion) in developing a port and logistics complex in the northern city of Haiphong. The announcement was made via a statement on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange website. The project will be implemented in three phases, with construction running from 2026 to 2040. Vingroup will finance 15 percent of the cost with its own resources and seek external funding for the remainder. The news sent Vingroup shares up by as much as 6.9 percent, the largest increase in the past three weeks.
DB Cargo Hungària to expand Gyor terminal
DB Cargo Hungària, the Hungarian division of German rail operator Deutsche Bahn, has launched expansion works at its rail terminal in Gyor, near the Slovakian border. The facility primarily serves Audi logistics, linking the carmaker’s Hungarian plant with Germany. The project aims to enhance operational capacity to support growing freight volumes between the two countries.
