# rail transport

*Last updated: 2026-06-22*

> Rail transport moves goods by train across fixed railway networks and offers shippers a compelling combination of high capacity, energy efficiency, and lower carbon emissions per tonne-kilometre compared with road.

Rail transport moves goods by train across fixed railway networks and offers shippers a compelling combination of high capacity, energy efficiency, and lower carbon emissions per tonne-kilometre compared with road. It excels with bulk commodities – minerals, grain, automotive parts – and intermodal containers on long-distance corridors. Cross-border rail freight is governed by the COTIF Convention and its CIM appendix, which harmonise liability, documentation, and operating conditions across member states. The trade-off is dependence on fixed infrastructure: virtually all rail shipments require first- and last-mile road connections, making multimodal coordination essential. Where those conditions are met, rail is both cost-competitive and considerably less susceptible to road congestion.

**Source:** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | rail transport |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 107 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-22 |
| Source | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport |

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