Railways have been a major mode of passenger and freight transport since the mid-19th century and continue to play an important role in the global economy today.
Thousands of tonnes of freight are transported across the EU every day, using both rail and road freight, but in many respects rail is the best option for long-distance transport, adapting smoothly to the transport of goods of different weights.
According to a report by the European Institute of Romania, only 14% of the total volume of freight was transported by rail in Romania in 2020, five times less than by road. The same report shows that in the following year, 2021, the volume of goods transported by rail increased by 15.6%.
Rail freight transport performs differently, but the grain transport market is on an upward trend, accounting for a third of all goods transported by rail. The transport of grain from Ukraine to other neighboring countries via Romania has seen spectacular growth. Since the start of the war a year and a half ago, more than 25 million tonnes of grain have been exported through our country, using sea, road, and rail routes.
Rail transport of grain is characterized by reliability, efficiency, safety, sustainability, low costs, and high storage capacity during transport.
The advantages of rail grain transport are many.

Low cost

Without a doubt, one of the most important advantages of rail transport is its cost. The ability to transport up to several hundred tonnes of freight in a single train makes this type of shipping attractive from a financial point of view too. The cost per kilometer gets lower the more freight you carry.

Time-saving, faster delivery

Unlike road freight, rail transport is not subject to traffic jams, and stops only occur in the event of train or infrastructure damage. On many rail routes the state of the infrastructure allows freight trains to reach high speeds. Trains are also less affected by weather conditions. Fast delivery is crucial when it comes to the food industry, where maintaining food quality is imperative.

High transport capacity

Trains are the perfect solution when it comes to transporting grain, especially in years when the grain harvest is larger. A standard wagon has a much higher load capacity than a truck trailer.

Sustainability

At a time when reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one of the most important global challenges, choosing an environmentally friendly form of transport is another important argument for reducing road freight in favor of rail.

Energy efficiency

Improving energy efficiency is the most important aspect of the rail sector’s strategies to reduce CO2 emissions, and of course offers significant business benefits as well as cost savings. Technical means – such as the use of more modern, less energy-intensive rolling stock or innovative technologies such as regenerative braking, but also non-technical means – including energy-efficient driving techniques that focus on developing train drivers’ expertise to save energy or fuel costs – are adopted to improve energy efficiency.

High standard of safety

Both in terms of the number of accidents and the frequency of crime (theft, vandalism) rail is one of the safest modes of transport. Railway lines play a key role in many regions for the transport of goods, and the modernization of the rail infrastructure allows the sector to develop.

If you require transportation for your goods, such as grain, PSP Cargo Group offers proactive management, including transport, fleet, and maintenance, as well as supervision of transported goods.