On 24 March 2025, Austrian railway company Öbb Rail Cargo Group (Rcg) announced an upgrade to its services to and from Turkey, focusing on both frequency and the overall quality of the offering. The most significant development is the transformation of the TransFer Sladkovicovo–Istanbul connection, which has now been redesigned as TransFer Sopron–Istanbul. The departure point shifts to Sopron, Hungary, with the aim of strengthening integration into the Central European rail network. This new service doubles its frequency, with two round trips per week. For customers, this translates into increased transport capacity, more efficient scheduling and optimised first and last mile organisation, along with improved storage and handling solutions at key logistics hubs across Eastern Europe.
Other connections have also undergone targeted enhancements. The TransFer Budapest–Istanbul, for example, increases its frequency from four to five weekly journeys, integrating with major European logistics centres such as Zeebrugge, Ludwigshafen, Duisburg, Wels and Vienna. The TransFer Curtici–Tekirdag has benefited from a timetable update, allowing customers to plan shipments with greater accuracy. The direct link with the port of Tekirdag continues to serve as a vital corridor for transit between the two continents. On the western side, the TransFer Genk–Curtici ensures five weekly trips between Belgium and Romania.
These developments reaffirm Rcg’s central role in intermodal traffic between Europe and Asia, strengthening its presence in Turkey and enhancing the overall efficiency of its services. The initiative forms part of a broader network that includes around seventy regularly operated TransFer connections, with more than 1,500 available combinations. The transport offering ranges from traditional full wagonload to fully customisable solutions, with additional services such as transshipment, warehouse logistics and customs management, all adaptable to the specific points of departure and arrival.
