ÖBB Rail Cargo Group expands automotive fleet
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) is expanding its automotive logistics fleet with 200 new car-carrying wagons, adding capacity for vehicle transport across Central and South-Eastern Europe.
The first 70 Laaers car transport wagons are being added to the fleet, while another 130 are scheduled for delivery in 2027. Manufactured in Slovakia, the double-deck wagons have been designed to accommodate electric cars and larger, heavier vehicles.
RCG plans to deploy the additional capacity across its automotive network, including for vehicle flows entering Europe through the Port of Rijeka.
New wagons designed for electric vehicles
The Laaers 4371 wagons have a loading length of 30.07 metres and a loading width ranging from 2.64 to 2.95 metres. Each wagon has four axles and a tare weight of 31.40 tonnes.
RCG said the design responds to changes in the vehicle market, particularly the increasing size and weight of SUVs and electric cars, which can present limitations for older generations of car-carrying wagons.
“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,” said Bettina Castillo, Member of the Board of Rail Cargo Group.
She said the additional wagons would provide capacity for vehicle imports and exports, production peaks and short-term changes in demand.
RCG currently transports around one million finished vehicles each year. It also moves approximately 600,000 tonnes of automotive components, including engines, wheel rims, doors, body panels and batteries, to more than 20 international locations.
According to the company, a single car train can carry up to 256 vehicles, equivalent to as many as 37 truck journeys.
Rijeka emerges as new automotive gateway
Part of the additional fleet will support automotive traffic through the Port of Rijeka, where Ro-Ro vessels from Asia have been calling since August 2026.
RCG said the services have created a new flow of vehicle imports, particularly between China, Rijeka and European destination markets.
The railway logistics provider is handling part of the onward transportation from Rijeka using its new car-carrying wagons, moving imported vehicles into the European hinterland.
Rijeka is already connected to the RCG network through TransFER services to Budapest and Belgrade, providing rail links from the northern Adriatic port towards Central and South-Eastern Europe.
