Support for Ukraine is a priority for ÖBB

At the ceremony in Kyiv, Kovács emphasised on behalf of ÖBB that cooperation with the Ukrainian partner will continue to be a priority in the future.

As a leading railway logistics provider in Europe, RCG has been supporting the Ukrainian population and economy with transport and logistics services since the outbreak of the war. For example, RCG reacted quickly and consistently to the blockade of the Black Sea ports and created a reliable alternative for transporting grain by sea. To date, a total of over two million tonnes of agricultural products have been transported by rail - that is more than 100 trains a month, loaded with maize, sunflower seeds, wheat, soya, barley and vegetable oil. RCG thus transports more agricultural products than any other European freight transport company. As part of the priority cooperation with Ukraine, significant quantities of iron ore, coal and raw materials for the construction and food industries are also increasingly being delivered from Ukraine to European markets. RCG thus makes a decisive contribution to global supply security.

New TransFER Vienna–Kyiv

In cooperation with Ukrainian Railways (UZ), RCG has also launched the new Vienna–Kyiv TransFER connection to permanently connect Ukraine to its intermodal network (TransNET). This will provide the first regular, high-frequency intermodal connection between Ukraine and numerous hubs in Central Europe. The first test train travelled from Kyiv to the Rail Cargo Terminal BILK in Hungary in Hungary at the end of September, transporting non-craneable semi-trailers loaded with building materials by rail. Previously, non-craneable semi-trailers were transported exclusively by truck, as was common practice in the industry. The premiere of the new rail technology not only relieves the environment, but also the current tense situation regarding the shortage of truck drivers in Ukraine.

09.11.2023