ÖBB RCG Opens 3,000 TEU Terminal in Czech Republic

PŘEROV, CZECH REPUBLIC – ÖBB Rail Cargo Group officially opened its expanded combined transport terminal in Přerov-Horní Moštěnice this week, completing a 16-month modernization that nearly doubled the facility’s footprint to 36,000 square meters. The terminal’s handling capacity now reaches approximately 3,000 TEU, positioning the site as a central intermodal hub for Central European freight corridors.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The revitalization addressed chronic capacity constraints by adding 17,100 square meters of handling and storage space, upgrading track access, and deploying new transshipment equipment. The expansion enables handling of semi-trailers alongside containers, a capability previously unavailable at the site. ÖBB Rail Cargo Group plans to launch new rail connections to the Adriatic ports of Koper and Rijeka, while integrating the terminal into Eurasian freight routes via Budapest. The project received European Union co-financing as part of a broader modal shift strategy aimed at reducing road congestion and CO₂ emissions.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

ÖBB RCG’s terminal expansion mirrors broader Central European investment patterns. METRANS, a competing intermodal operator, opened a similarly scaled terminal in Česká Třebová in 2023 with 40,000 m² of handling area and 4,000 TEU capacity, serving the Prague-Brno corridor. The Přerov site’s 36,000 m² footprint places it firmly in the mid-tier of Czech intermodal facilities — larger than ČD Cargo’s Lovosice terminal (18,000 m²) but smaller than the Paskov terminal operated by Advanced World Transport (60,000 m²). What distinguishes Přerov is its historical continuity: the site originated from the ČSKD-INTRANS terminal of the 1970s, one of the few legacy Czechoslovak intermodal hubs to survive post-1990 market consolidation. (Source: METRANS annual report, 2023; AWT facility data, 2024)

Editor’s Analysis

ÖBB RCG’s bet on Přerov signals a calculated response to three intersecting pressures: rising electronics logistics demand across Czech manufacturing corridors, continued supply chain volatility pushing shippers toward modal diversification, and tightening EU emissions targets that make road-to-rail shift commercially urgent. The terminal’s Adriatic port connections matter strategically — Koper handled record container volumes in 2025, and rail-linked throughput there grew 12% year-on-year, according to port authority data. By anchoring a Central Moravian hub capable of receiving semi-trailers, ÖBB RCG is building capacity for precisely the cargo categories that remain stubbornly road-bound in Eastern European logistics chains. (Source: IndexBox electronics logistics forecast, 2025; Port of Koper throughput data, 2025)

FAQ

Q: What new routes will the Přerov terminal serve?
A: ÖBB Rail Cargo Group plans new rail connections to the Adriatic ports of Koper (Slovenia) and Rijeka (Croatia), plus integration into Eurasian landbridge connections routed through Budapest.

Q: How much did the terminal modernization cost?
A: The total project cost was not disclosed by ÖBB Rail Cargo Group at the inauguration. The project is known to be co-financed by the European Union, but specific EU contribution figures were not released.

Q: Can the terminal now handle semi-trailers as well as containers?
A: Yes. The expansion specifically added handling capability for semi-trailers, which the previous terminal configuration did not support. This enhances the site’s role in unaccompanied combined transport across Central Europe.