Single wagonload transport: flexible and all-encompassing

For small and large volumes. For customers with their own private siding and those without. In Germany or anywhere in Europe. We have Europe's largest fleet of rolling stock, so we can accommodate your batch sizes.

Single wagonload transport: flexible and all-encompassing

Largest European rail network with daily departures
Access even without a private siding
Flexible ordering with regard to times, cargo volumes and routes
Large wagon fleet with special equipment
CO₂-reduced transport solutions

What is single wagonload transport?

DB Cargo single wagonload transport is particularly suited to small and medium-sized consignments. Wagons from different consignors and bound for different consignees are assembled to form a complete train.

Why is it good for the climate?

Single wagonload transport is flexible and in many cases can replace a heavy goods vehicle – up to 40,000 HGV journeys a day to be precise.

In this way, we save 2 million tonnes of CO₂ a year on the 230,000-kilometre-long network, which is the largest in Europe.

The benefits of single wagonload transport

High-frequency rail network

thanks to daily departures and direct links to business centres.

Large number of access options

thanks to our railports and other innovative transhipment solutions.

Lower emissions

thanks to CO2-reduced transport as a green alternative to HGVs.

A variety of solutions

for both small and large consignments.

Smooth-running factory supply

as well as flexible loading and unloading to ensure efficient supply and waste logistics for industry.

Flexibility in ordering

thanks to customised selection of time, volume and route.

Large freight wagon fleet

as well as wide-ranging special equipment for all transport requirements.

Continuous development

of the combined transport network and bespoke services.

Simple integration

of our services into our customers' processes.

How is a transport organised?

We use a wide range of access points so that all companies can benefit from rail.

Some companies have their own private siding and load on site. Other companies access single wagonload transport with our door-to-door solutions.

The goods are collected in containers or semi-trailers by HGV and lifted onto freight wagons by crane. The journey continues by local train to one of the 140 train formation yards.

After arriving at the train formation yard, the individual freight wagons from different consignors are assembled to form complete trains.

The trains travel to one of nine large marshalling yards in Germany. There, DB Cargo breaks them up into individual wagons again.

The wagons are then combined into cross-regional trains according to the region they are bound for. When they reach their destination, they are disassembled again, and the freight is delivered to the recipient either by local train or HGV.

In this way, DB Cargo runs up to 900 trains a day in single wagonload transport.

No sidings? No problem!

Companies don't necessarily need their own private siding for single wagonload transport: containers or semi-trailers can be transported by HGV over the first and last mile and loaded onto the train by crane at a railport. That's how we get the goods on track.

What freight do we transport?

Our single wagonload transport is an important building block in the supply chain of many industries, e.g.:

We deliver foods to large distribution centres in overnight services for the retail trade.

We deliver automotive parts to manufacturers or scrap to steelworks for medium-sized companies.

We move goods that are too heavy or too dangerous for road transport for large-scale industry: for example, steel coils weighing a tonne or more or tank wagons with chemical precursors and end products.

The key routes in single wagonload transport

From Scandinavia to Italy and from the Atlantic to Asia: the network map provides a good overview of the numerous DB Cargo routes.

Discover our strong network

Planner

Do you need simple, non-binding information for your freight transport in the single freight car system? Then our freight schedule is the first port of call for you.

Rail Access

Rail Access can help you find the right access point to our rail network

Inside

Night-time in the marshalling yard

Marshalling yards are the hub of single-wagon transport. But what really goes on there?

New customer service for transport enquiries

DB Cargo AG

+49 203 9851-9000

neukundenservice@deutschebahn.com

For enquiries about a career at DB Cargo, such as current job offers, internships or other personnel questions, please visit our website or contact the person responsible for the respective job advertisement directly.

Please note that we only transport for business customers and transport almost everything that fits into at least one freight wagon or container / swap body.

Single wagonload transport