When it comes to inquiries regarding rail freight transport, the most common question the MMV Rail Romania team receives daily regards the cost of our services. Since each demand is different, the cost of transportation varies greatly. There are, however, a few common traits, which affect the pricing of every client’s purchase agreement. Check out 6 key factors that can influence the cost of rail freight transport services:

The size of your cargo

One of the main determining elements of the amount of money you need to come up with to transport your goods is the volume of your merchandise. The exact weight of the goods you transport is one of the principal influencing factors, along with the size of the products that need to reach a certain destination.

Route distance

The second fundamental component is route distance. The price calculation of transporting cargo by train depends on the travel range between the starting point and the location of arrival. Interestingly enough, in our case the longer the distance, the cheaper the cost. In other words, rail freight forwarding is cheapest for long-distance shipments.

The location of pick-up and delivery

Rail freight transport prices are also influenced by the place where the pick-up and drop-off take place. Different stations have different types of fees that need to be paid, depending on the number of hours a cargo train spends in one place and the timeframe during which loading and unloading takes place. Which brings us to our next point.

Operative costs

There are several set operative fees that you also need to take in consideration when calculating shipping costs. The type of locomotive and the number of wagons used in the transportation process and the track use all have fees that need to be paid. Likewise, the train’s energy consumption is another cost one should not forget about. HR costs also need to be counted in, along with maintenance costs. The latter ensures that your rail freight transportation journey is not interrupted by unforeseen mechanical issues.

The types of transported goods

The type of merchandise you wish to transport also has a say in the final pricing of your shipment costs. The different types of cargo have varied shipping costs. Consumer goods (including vegetables, fruits, nuts, textiles, and others) are mostly shipped in containers, depending on the size of the cargo. Special merchandise, such as steel pallets, oversized cargo and products which require an appointed temperature during transportation fall into another category. Lastly, hazardous goods and dangerous materials also require different types of wagons. Each of these three cargo categories have different shipping costs.

Insurance

Opting for additional insurance to protect your cargo means that you will be charged extra for freight transport services. Shipping insurance enables you to safely send your cargo, to avoid any risk of losses and future financial damage in case of unpredictable occurrences during transport. This is a worthwhile investment that we recommend to all our clients, but naturally the final decision of whether or not you choose to activate it depends on you entirely. 

If you would like to know how much the rail transport services of your cargo shipment will cost, we invite you to contact us via phone or email to discuss the exact details of a possible future collaboration with MMV Rail Romania.