GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026
connecting train
An industrial siding, private port terminal, or small freight yard without scheduled rail service needs a way to reach the main network – that link is the connecting train.
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Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anschlusszug
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Logistics Concept
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An industrial siding, private port terminal, or small freight yard without scheduled rail service needs a way to reach the main network – that link is the connecting train. Operated by a licensed rail freight operator, it collects or delivers wagons at peripheral locations and moves them to the nearest marshalling yard or mainline junction. The service functions as a rail feeder, analogous to road pre- or on-carriage in combined transport. Connecting trains are particularly relevant in intermodal logistics where shippers want to avoid full road hauls but their facilities are not directly served by scheduled freight paths. Unlike mainline block trains running between major hubs on fixed schedules, the connecting train operates on demand or at low frequency.
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