Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director at PORT OF KIEL: “This is a milestone for Kiel as a logistics hub. The train is an ideal link for rapid freight transport between the Baltic and the Eastern Mediterranean Seas.” The destinations of the train – Kiel and Trieste – are equally points of departure for efficient ferry lines to Scandinavia and to Turkey. The direct train connection was initiated by the logistics company EKOL. Stena Line, who transports the goods from and to Sweden with its ships, has accompanied the project right from the start and contributed decisively to its realization. Dirk Claus: “The new direct train will relocate traffic from road to rail and is a showcase project on the European TEN-T corridor between the Adriatic and Baltic Seas.”
The first train started in Trieste on 25th January 2017 and arrived at 1 p.m. next day (26/01) in Kiel. It consists of sixteen double pocket wagons and can transport 32 load units. Trailers swap bodies and containers are accepted. To begin with, the rail connection is operated once a week in both directions. The train departs from Italy every Wednesday at 11 a.m. and arrives at Kiel’s Schwedenkai the following Thursday. The transit time for the distance of 1,360 km is 26 hours. Dirk Claus: “The goods are distributed from Kiel to their recipients in Northern Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Our Schwedenkai is strengthening its position as a hub in Northern Europe.” There is a direct connection to the ferries of Stena Line reaching the Swedish port of Gothenburg on Friday morning at 9.15 a.m. Cargo units for Denmark and Northern Germany are directly taken on by trucks.
After a trial phase of several weeks, the train is supposed to operate in regular service from right after Easter. Depending on demand, the schedule can later be extended to two arrivals and departures a week at every destination. Dirk Claus: “Business partners from four European countries have been working with great commitment on the realization of this project for several months. In particular, I want to thank our Turkish partner for the good and trustful cooperation. I am convinced that intermodal transport between the Baltic region and the Mediterranean will keep getting more and more important. The direct train link from Trieste to Kiel opens up totally new transport opportunities.” Last year, there were more than 29,000 unit loads handled via Kiel in combined transport for the first time. At the moment, Kiel is connected via Hamburg-Billwerder to the whole national network by combi-shuttles operating five times a week. In addition, there are five direct train connections a week to Verona.