rail freight transport

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Last updated: 22 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.otif.org/en/what-we-do/legal-texts/cotif.html

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Check transit time: city-to-city index

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Definition & Explanation

Rail freight transport is the movement of goods by railway vehicles across a fixed track network, operated by rail carriers in single-wagon, wagon-group, or full block-train services. Compared with road haulage, it offers lower costs per tonne-kilometre for heavy, bulky, or high-volume cargo and generates significantly fewer CO₂ emissions. The trade-offs are longer transit times and reduced routing flexibility. In combined transport, containers and swap bodies bridge the gap between rail and road, enabling door-to-door services. Internationally, the CIM Uniform Rules (Appendix B to the COTIF Convention) govern liability and documentation for cross-border rail freight.

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