Laude Smart Intermodal is expanding its rail network from Duisburg, strengthening intermodal connections across Central and Eastern Europe and positioning rail at the core of its logistics model.
From April, the Polish operator plans to launch regular services linking Duisburg with southern and central Poland, with a further step targeting a new intermodal corridor connecting Warsaw and Silesia with northern Italy. Both routes are designed with scalability in mind, allowing extensions towards Ukraine and Turkey.
From a rail freight perspective, the development reinforces the growing importance of the Ruhr–Central Europe axis, particularly for flows of industrial goods, bulk cargo and steel products. Laude already operates services distributing steel coils and other cargo across corridors linking Germany, the Benelux region, Czechia and Poland.
The model is based on rail as the backbone, complemented by company-operated “last mile” solutions. Where rail cannot reach directly, Laude deploys its own fleet of trucks to connect terminals with final destinations, enabling door-to-door services without compromising rail’s role in long-distance transport.
Operational flexibility is further supported by specialised equipment, including containers designed for bulk cargo and heavy steel products, allowing handling from multiple sides and enabling rail to compete more directly with road transport in terms of versatility.
Laude’s intermodal operations are anchored in its own terminals in Sosnowiec and Zamość, close to the Ukrainian border, alongside partner terminals such as Duisburg. This positioning underlines the company’s focus on east–west flows, particularly in the context of Ukraine, where the company holds a significant share of intermodal transport.
For European rail freight, the expansion highlights a broader shift towards integrated intermodal solutions, where rail corridors are increasingly extended beyond EU borders and combined with flexible first- and last-mile services to maintain competitiveness across complex supply chains.
