Increasing rail freight traffic from China via Záhony

A new container train, transporting among others medical protective equipment, arrived from China – with handling of the consignments in Záhony – at the Rail Cargo Terminal - BILK in Budapest.

The upswing of rail freight traffic between Budapest and Jinan is also marked by the fact that in the following period trains will be operating in this relation almost every week, conveying consignments that are more and more comprised by the same goods as before the outbreak of the corona virus. In June another container train starts its operation as well, which will run weekly from the Chinese city of Changsha to the Rail Cargo Terminal - BILK in Hungary. Additionally, already once a week a train from China arrives on the continental route via Poland and Slovakia.

Compared to maritime transport, the trains – handled by Rail Cargo Operator - Hungaria, consisting of 40-42 wagons on average – cover the more than ten thousand kilometers long route between the Chinese industrial centers and Hungary on the continental Silk Road significantly faster and in an environmentally friendly way.

In addition to continental transport, many ships, loaded partly with Hungary-bound containers, travel to the ports of Piraeus, Rijeka and Koper. With 15-16 train pairs per week, the Rail Cargo Group ensures the import of Asian goods, which are important for the Hungarian supply chain, and the transport of Hungarian export goods to the ports.

The transport of goods from the Far East has been normalizing since April, but depending on the development of the pandemic situation and the restart of the economy, it may even take until autumn to balance the transports. According to the forecasts of the RCG experts, rail will probably reach last year’s market values in autumn or winter.