(Vienna, 30 September 2026) – The ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) is expanding its freight wagon fleet with 70 new ‘Laaers’ car transport wagons. The double-deck wagons, with a loading length of 30.07 metres, are specially designed for electric cars and increase RCG’s capacity for its customers in the automotive sector. The delivery of a further 130 car-carriers is planned for 2027. The new wagons are a European product and are manufactured in Slovakia. With a total of 200 new wagons, new transport options for automotive shipments to Central and South-Eastern Europe will be available via the port of Rijeka: Since August 2026, so-called roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels from Asia have been calling at the port; these are used, amongst other things, to transport rolling cargo such as electric cars.
1 million cars transported thanks to precise rail logisticsIn the automotive industry in particular, reliable and precisely timed supply chains are crucial – especially during production peaks, seasonal fluctuations or short-term demand. This requires components to arrive at the right place at exactly the right time – just as finished vehicles must reach customers and export ports on schedule. Bettina Castillo, Member of the Board of Rail Cargo Group, explains: “Automotive logistics is growing and, at the same time, undergoing fundamental change. New vehicle imports, the trend towards larger and heavier vehicles, and the demand for more resilient supply chains are increasing the need for high-performance logistics solutions. With our new generation of wagons, we are creating additional capacity and flexibility for vehicle imports and exports, production peaks and short-term market requirements. In this way, we are consistently expanding our role as an integrated railway logistics provider with our own traction and rolling stock.”
RCG has many years’ experience in the automotive sector and transports around one million finished vehicles annually, as well as some 600,000 tonnes of components such as engines, wheel rims, doors, body panels and batteries to more than 20 international locations.
One car train replaces up to 37 truck journeysRCG has many years’ experience in the automotive sector and transports around one million finished vehicles and some 600,000 tonnes of components – such as engines, wheel rims, doors, body panels and batteries – to more than 20 international locations every year.
Around 60 per cent of all new vehicles in Europe are transported by rail. A single car train can carry up to 256 vehicles, thereby replacing up to 37 truck journeys by road – a key component of supply chains with a high proportion of rail transport.
New wagons are optimised for electric cars and larger vehiclesSUVs and electric vehicles, whose number of new registrations is continuously increasing, are on average heavier and larger. This is why specialised wagons are needed to transport them: RCG’s new car transport wagons are ideally suited to carrying these heavier and larger cars – unlike many older car transport wagons. As the proportion of electric vehicles grows, so too do the demands on automotive logistics and safety. RCG offers multimodal door-to-door solutions for electric cars, as well as for batteries and components, connecting production sites, suppliers, vehicle manufacturers and logistics service providers.
New automotive route from RijekaThe number of vehicle imports into Europe is rising. The port of Rijeka is playing an increasingly important role in this. Since August 2026, RoRo vessels (roll-on/roll-off ships), which are specifically used for the transport of rolling cargo, have been calling at the port. This marks the beginning of a new flow of goods for vehicle imports – particularly between China, Rijeka and European destination markets. Upon arrival at the port, the vehicles must be transported efficiently by rail or road to the European hinterland. The ÖBB Rail Cargo Group is making early use of this corridor and is handling a significant proportion of onward transport from Rijeka with its new car transport wagons. With growing freight flows and new entry routes into Europe, efficient hinterland traffic on the rail network plays a crucial role in delivering large volumes efficiently to their destination markets.
For RCG, Rijeka is already an important hub on the northern Adriatic. TransFER connections to Budapest and Belgrade link the port directly to the RCG network and strengthen its role as a gateway to Central and South-Eastern Europe.
Technical specifications for the “Laaers 4371” wagon:
| Number of axles |
4 |
| Tare weight |
31.40 tonnes |
| Length over buffer |
31.00 metres |
| Loading length |
30.07 metres |
| Loading width |
2.64 – 2.95 metres |
| Overall height above top of rails |
3.620 metres |
| Floor height above top of rails |
0.820 metres |
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group: ÖBB’s rail freight transport division
As a leading rail logistics provider in Europe, the ÖBB Rail Cargo Group is shaping the industry. 365 days a year – 24 hours a day. Across Europe and far as Asia. With presence in 18 countries – and own traction in 14 of them – RCG connects people, businesses and markets from the first mile to the last. 5,846 logistics professionals ensure that 407,497 freight trains per year – or 1,116 per day – safely reach their destination. In 2025, RCG generated revenues of € 2.09 billion with its efficient end-to-end logistics solutions.
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ÖBB has been shaping mobility for over 100 years. As a comprehensive mobility and logistics service provider, ÖBB transported 559 million passengers and around 79 million tonnes of goods to their destinations in a climate-friendly friendly manner in 2025. This is because 100% of the electrical power for trains and stations comes from renewable energy. With 94.1 percent punctuality in passenger transport, ÖBB is one of the most punctual railways in Europe. With capital expenditure of more than five billion euros annually in the railway infrastructure and fleet, ÖBB is building the railway system of the future. Across the Group, more than 48,000 bus and rail employees and around 2,145 apprentices ensure that more than 1.5 million passengers reach their destinations safely every day. ÖBB is the backbone of public transport and, as Austria's largest climate protection company in the mobility and logistics sector, it brings people and goods to their destinations safely and in an environmentally conscious manner. ÖBB-Holding AG is responsible for strategic control of the company.