ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) has launched a direct rail freight route linking Belgrade, Serbia, with Rijeka, Croatia, creating a vital connection between the Serbian railway network and the Adriatic coast. This new TransFER route will enable goods arriving at Rijeka’s Adriatic Gate Container Terminal (AGCT) to transfer seamlessly onto Serbia’s rail network.

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AGCT, Croatia’s largest port, handles over 70 percent of Serbia’s import and export freight. The Belgrade–Rijeka link follows other recent RCG routes, such as the Krusevac–Budapest–Duisburg corridor, which connects Serbia’s manufacturing hub with Hungary and Germany, further integrating Serbian logistics into Europe’s trade routes.

Operating with RCG’s own locomotives and rolling stock, the TransFER Belgrade–Rijeka service accommodates up to 76 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) per train, with containers ranging from 20 to 45 feet. The route promises regular and faster freight transport to support Serbia’s expanding economy, with one to two weekly round trips expected, each taking about 24 hours.

Rail freight along this route not only streamlines cargo flow but also significantly reduces CO2 emissions compared to road transport. This development aligns with RCG’s ongoing investments in Serbia, where it launched a carrier company in 2023 and partnered with the Western Balkan shipping firm Transfera d.o.o in 2024 to establish a new railway shipping company.

As part of the Austrian ÖBB Group, RCG operates over 419,000 trains annually, moving 78 million net tonnes of freight across Europe and into Asia. The Belgrade–Rijeka connection further strengthens this expansive network, linking Serbian markets directly with Europe’s major ports and promoting sustainable, efficient logistics solutions for the region.