ÖBB Rail Cargo Group establishes another subsidiary in Serbia 



(Belgrade, 23 May 2024) - ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG), Europe’s leading rail logistics company, and Transfera d.o.o., one of the leading logistics companies in the Balkans, are joining forces. An agreement on the establishment of a joint venture was signed today at the Austrian Embassy in Belgrade. This cooperation is another important step towards innovative logistics solutions in the Western Balkans.

Serbian market on the rise

Christian Ebner, Austrian Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia, welcomes the new partnership: “I am delighted that the cooperation between ÖBB Rail Cargo Group and Transfera Transport & Logistics will further strengthen the presence of Austrian companies in Serbia. With a total investment volume of around EUR 3.6 billion, Austria is one of the largest foreign investors in Serbia, an increasingly important market with great potential, especially in rail freight.”

The Serbian economy is changing and the demand for environmentally friendly transport solutions continues to grow. This is where RCG comes in, continuing its expansion course and linking Serbia more closely with Turkey and Greece, as well as the ports of Hamburg and Rotterdam, by expanding its European network.

Christoph Grasl, Member of the RCG Executive Board, emphasises: “Transfera provides the network, we provide the know-how. Together we are utilising our strengths to establish sustainable logistics and forwarding solutions for the Serbian market, which has been one of the fastest growing in Europe for years. This will make it easy for Serbian industry to switch from road to rail. This will not only benefitthe economy, but ultimately our climate as well.”

Carl Azinger, Managing Director of Rail Cargo Logistics - Austria, adds: “Multimodality is the future and together with Transfera we want to develop tailor-made end-to-end solutions and establish them sustainably in Serbia and beyond. With this joint venture, we are continuing our long and successful presence in the Balkans. We look forward to working together and sharing success in a promising future.”

Focus on multimodal transport 

The newly formed joint venture, based in Belgrade, will initially focus on developing intermodal logistics solutions. In the future, the focus will be extended to conventional transport. In recent years, important steps have been taken in Serbia to rebuild the railways and modernise and improve the railway infrastructure. The construction of intermodal terminals is an important factor in the integration of the Serbian railways into the European transport network. In November last year, the first freight train departed from the new intermodal terminal in Kruševac in cooperation between RCG and Transfera, laying the foundations for rail transport from Kruševac to Western Europe.

Duško Radović, CEO of Transfera: “This cooperation is a symbol of long-standing friendship and trust, that has led to the establishment of a joint venture in Serbia. Multimodal transport is the future of logistics, and we firmly believe that by combining our resources, knowledge and experience, we can initiate positive changes and set new standards in the industry.”

Own traction through Serbia since 2023 

In January 2023, RCG established its 13th carrier company Rail Cargo Carrier - Serbia d.o.o. in Belgrade. This enables RCG to also offer international transport services in Serbia in own traction, i.e. with its own locomotives and staff. In addition to Serbia and the Western Balkans itself, this location also offers important connections to Turkey. Although rail transport between the EU and Turkey has grown steadily in recent years, Turkish foreign trade remains heavily dependent on road transport. The agility of RCG with its own traction through Serbia is also an offer to the Turkish economy to handle its exports to the Western Balkans and Central and Northern Europe in a more sustainable way. 

About Transfera 

Transfera is a logistics company based in Belgrade, which deals with the organization of transport – road, air, ship and railway, customs representation, provision of warehousing and manipulative services and distribution of goods. With over 500 employees, a turnover of approximately EUR 100 million in 2023, 30 offices in Serbia and abroad, Transfera is one of the leading logistics companies in Western Balkans region.

Rail Cargo Group: the freight transport division of the ÖBB  

As a leading rail logistics provider in Europe, we are shaping the industry. 365 days a year – 24 hours a day. Across Europe and beyond into Asia. With our presence in 18 countries, we connect people, businesses and markets – from the first to the last mile. It’s  thanks to our 5,912 logistics professionals that 419,000 trains a year, respectively 1,150 a day, reach their destinations safe and sound. With our efficient end-to-end logistics services, we transport over 78 million net tonnes of freight each year. Operational management of the Rail Cargo Group lies with Rail Cargo Austria AG.