Demand assessment and market analysis of a new trans-European rail transport corridor

This paper describes the first part of a Eureka project combining EU objectives for increased shares of rail in freight transport, and transport users' needs for an efficient and shortest possible transport solution between markets with large expected future growth. The project, involving 9 scientific and commercial partners, seeks to develop and commercially validate a new freight supply corridor, "POL-CORRIDOR" linking the Nordic countries with southern Europe. The network will consist of a sea/land connection between the Nordic countries and Poland and a high-speed freight train, the "Blue Shuttle Train", which will travel non-stop through Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria. Two of the most important hubs for European freight traffic, Swinoujscie harbour in Poland and the intermodal terminal in Vienna, will be connected. One of the competitive advantages of the new supply system will be to deliver cargo quickly as it will be unnecessary to stop at borders. Another advantage will result from the utilisation of existing rail infrastructure in Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary that is largely unused in central Eastern European countries (CEECs). A third advantage will stem from the possibility to provide environmentally friendly and cost-efficient services compared to the existing parallel Trans-European corridors through Germany which cause concerns with regard to cost and quality because of growing capacity constraints. As a first phase of the project, the commercial opportunities of the Blue Shuttle Train are determined, the quality of current rail services is assessed, and existing feeder-connections are evaluated. This involved the following tasks: assessment of the quality of service required by logistical operators, shippers and consignees; assessment of freight volumes currently shipped; forecast of freight volumes; and assessment of quality of service required. The methods used for the demand assessment and the key findings are described. For the covering abstract see ITRD E126595.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0860503429
• Authors:
  • FEARNLEY, N
  • GRUE, B
  • LUDVIGSEN, J
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 15pp
• Monograph Title: Risk aversion and route choice decisions
• Serial:
  • PROCEEDINGS OF THE EUROPEAN TRANSPORT CONFERENCE (ETC) 2003 HELD 8-10 OCTOBER 2003, STRASBOURG, FRANCE
  • Publisher: Association for European Transport (AET)
  • ISSN: 1474-9122

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Demand; Economic efficiency; Economics; Evaluation and assessment; Freight transportation; High speed ground transportation; Intermodal transportation; International; Level of service; Modal split; Railroad transportation; Transportation
• Identifier Terms: European Union
• Uncontrolled Terms: Quality
• Geographic Terms: Hungary
• ITRD Terms: 8525: Conference; 285: Demand (econ); 237: Economic efficiency; 263: Economics of transport; 8303: EU; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 1112: Freight transport; 1163: High speed; 8043: Hungary; 1121: Intermodal transport (freight); 9034: International; 653: Level of service; 675: Modal split; 9063: Quality; 1173: Rail bound transport
• Subject Areas: Economics; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01013077
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-86050-342-9
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Dec 22 2005 8:25AM