Intermodal transport development is strengthening Poland's role as a European logistics hub

In the first quarter of 2026, Poland's railways carried close to 790,000 TEU in intermodal transport, and intermodal's share of rail freight transport performance reached a record 19.2%. We are observing the same trend in our own operations at Rohlig SUUS Logistics. It confirms that intermodal is becoming an increasingly important part of the Polish transport system and strengthens our country's position as one of Europe's major logistics hubs. To make full use of this potential, however, further investment in infrastructure is required – in railway lines and transhipment terminals.

Intermodal transport has many advantages. A single loading unit – a container or an intermodal semi-trailer – is used throughout the entire supply chain, which makes it possible to match the mode of transport optimally to each stage of the journey, including the use of rail over the longest inland sections. Intermodal transport therefore drives a real reduction in CO₂ emissions from freight operations, and this matters more and more to customers as they work towards their environmental targets and face growing sustainability reporting requirements.

Rail also allows large volumes and heavy cargo to be moved efficiently, which is important for industry, including metals and construction sectors. Intermodal transport additionally increases flexibility in organising shipments and – in the face of geopolitical and market challenges – makes it possible to build more resilient supply chains. The option of combining different modes of transport makes it easier to adapt to changing market conditions and limits exposure to the challenges road transport is facing today: rising costs, including toll charges, fuel price volatility and limited driver availability.

These advantages are making intermodal transport one of the pillars of modern European supply chains, and its further development will solidify Poland's position as one of the leaders on Europe's logistics map.

Intermodal is driving European logistics

Intermodal solutions are used both for moving containers from seaports and – increasingly – in pan-European transport. Port operations are a good illustration of the fact that logistics is a network of interconnected elements. Polish sea terminals are consistently increasing their scale of operations – in the first half of 2026 alone, the Port of Gdańsk increased throughput by 9% year on year, consolidating its position as one of the most important container hubs in the Baltic. 

Investment is proceeding in parallel, including the ongoing expansion of the container terminal in Świnoujście. To make full use of the potential of Polish seaports and increase their operational capacity, efficient infrastructure is essential – not only modern approach lines, but also transhipment terminals and a dense railway network that allows containers to be delivered and collected swiftly. This is particularly important because Polish ports today serve not only the domestic market but increasingly act as a gateway for the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, competing for these markets with the ports of Hamburg, Rotterdam, Koper and Trieste. Trade with Ukraine is also playing an ever-greater role – Baltic Hub currently handles as much as 40% of the containers destined for that market. As Ukraine's economy continues to be rebuilt, its importance will keep growing.

The volume of intermodal shipments on pan-European routes is growing as well. Many companies that regularly move large volumes of goods – for example to supply their warehouses in foreign markets – are utilising precisely this solution. It works best over longer distances, and the most important destinations from Poland today include Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Benelux countries and the United Kingdom. These are markets characterised by high trade volumes and well-developed intermodal infrastructure, enabling seamless shipment flows. It is over such distances that the environmental benefits mentioned above are most apparent – in our operations, intermodal transport reduces CO₂ emissions on the route to Italy by more than 80%.

Infrastructure: the key to success

To make full use of the potential of intermodal transport and strengthen Poland's position as one of the leaders on Europe's logistics map, further investment in infrastructure is essential. It is well-developed infrastructure that determines whether competitive and reliable supply chains based on intermodal transport can be built.

With over 40 intermodal terminals, Poland ranks seventh in Europe by number, yet – despite the accelerating pace of change – only eighteenth in terms of network density, a gap that points to considerable room for growth, both in building new terminals and expanding existing ones. Strategic hubs such as Małaszewicze and Sławków are particularly important. Małaszewicze remains the most important gateway for rail freight between Asia and Europe, while Sławków – the westernmost broad-gauge terminal in Europe – can play a key role in handling trade and the further reconstruction of Ukraine. Both are already the subject of major investment, although the pace is not sufficient for the needs of the market. In Sławków, the Euroterminal is being expanded and will increase its transhipment capacity to more than 500,000 TEU a year, while in Małaszewicze new terminals are being built and the railway infrastructure is being modernised, which will increase the capacity of this strategic transport corridor.

Investment in railway lines is equally important – it ultimately determines how efficiently the entire intermodal system operates. Infrastructure modernisation has clearly accelerated in recent years – line capacity is being increased and access to seaports improved. The effects are already visible: the average speed of intermodal trains has risen to around 41 km/h, and on some routes journey times have been cut by more than an hour. Despite this progress, further capacity improvements and the elimination of bottlenecks remain among the most important challenges for the continued development of intermodal transport.
Intermodal at the heart of strategic development

The development of intermodal transport is part of the strategic transformation of European logistics. Growing environmental requirements, the need to build resilient supply chains and the dynamic changes in international trade mean that the importance of this segment will steadily increase. Poland today has an exceptional opportunity to capitalise on its geographical location and strengthen its position as one of the leaders on Europe's logistics map. This will require consistent delivery of infrastructure investment and the continued development of intermodal transport.