Gateway to the Balkans: DB Cargo's link to Slovenia

DB Cargo has teamed up with Slovenia's national rail company, Slovenske železnice (SŽ), to deliver faster single wagonload service. The companies' cooperation agreement established a total of five round trips operating between southern Bavaria and Slovenia every week, with service to start immediately. Martin Bodestedt, solution designer at DB Cargo, says, "The shuttle project came about as a result of an enquiry from the waste management specialist Cronimet ALFA. The Munich-based company transports just-in-time consignments of high-quality alloyed scrap metal to a high-grade steel plant in Slovenia. This has given us an exciting opportunity to increase the number of transports to the Balkan region, which is growing in economic importance."

High quality and short running times

For Cronimet ALFA (CA), the winning factors in DB Cargo's solution were its quality, flexibility, reliability, competitive prices, as well as the shuttle's short transit time. The Slovenia Shuttle has been in operation since mid-August. It doesn't just transport scrap metal to Slovenia for CA, but also hauls freight such as wood, paper, bulk goods, consumer goods and agricultural products for other companies. "The shuttle gives us flexibility. It can transport anything our customers need which is compatible with the single wagonload network. For example, the shuttle enables us to transport wagons which infringe the loading gauge on the route," Bodestedt says. 

The Slovenia Shuttle is perfect for scrap, among other things.

Five round trips to Slovenia

The Slovenia Shuttle runs five times a week (Tuesday to Saturday). It departs from Rosenheim at 2:20 am, crosses the Austrian border at Salzburg during the night, stops for a drop-off and pick-up in Jesenice and arrives in Ljubljana at 1:00 pm. The groups of wagons remain together for the entire transport. The reloaded shuttle then leaves Ljubljana the following day and heads back to Germany, again via Jesenice. Train splitting takes place at Munich North station.

Onward transport to other Balkan destinations

Djordje Mitic is a traffic manager for southeast Europe at DB Cargo. He says, "Working with SŽ has given us access to an extensive network in southeast Europe, one that stretches from the international port of Koper in Slovenia to destinations in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. We can offer customers services which accommodate all of their requests and requirements." This is due to the fact that Jesenice and Ljubljana are not necessarily the consignments' final destinations.  

Timetable North – South

Timetable South – North