European cross-border rail transport faces a range of challenges, including variations in operational standards, congestion in transborder corridors, infrastructure limitations, and weather-related disruptions, each contributing to potential delays and logistical complications.
Operational Standards
Differences in operational standards can complicate rail logistics in Europe. These standards relate to maximum speeds, train lengths, and weights, as well as gauge systems. For example, Spanish trains use the Iberian gauge (1,668 mm) which differs from the European standard of 1,435 mm. When they enter France, as on the Perpignan-Barcelona line, they can utilize dual-gauge tracks that accommodate both standard and Iberian gauges. However, the availability of dual-system locomotives capable of operating on both gauges is limited. This is due to their greater complexity in construction and maintenance, as well as their higher cost.
Congestion in Transborder Corridors
Certain key rail corridors in Europe, essential for the supply chain, face high levels of congestion, primarily due to the shared use of tracks by passenger and freight trains. This is the case with the Rhine-Alpine corridor, one of the busiest freight routes in Europe that runs from the Netherlands through Germany to Italy. Cargo trains running along this corridor experience frequent delays during peak hours as high-speed passenger trains are prioritized over freight trains.
Infrastructure Limitations
Some parts of the European rail network suffer from outdated or insufficient infrastructure which limits the capacity and speed of freight services and disrupts goods distribution. For example, the single-track sections in areas of Northern Germany such as from Puttgarden to Lübeck and across the Fehmarnsund Bridge restrict the number of trains that can pass. This is because trains must wait in sidings for oncoming traffic to clear. Such sections cause delays that can impact cross-border travel along the rail route from Scandinavia to Central Europe, which includes Germany.
Weather-Related Disruptions
In regions that experience heavy, consistent snowfall during winter such as Finland and Poland, snow and ice can accumulate rapidly on railway tracks. This accumulation can impede the traction of train wheels and lead to reduced control and braking efficiency. Consequently, trains must operate at slower speeds which results in delays. Moreover, ice can freeze switches in a particular position which prevents them from functioning properly and disrupts the routing of trains across different tracks. This can cause further delays in train operations.
In a transborder context, where coordination between different national networks is essential, such disruptions can cause cascading delays across multiple countries. Moreover, the accumulation of snow and ice requires extensive maintenance efforts, including snow plowing and de-icing operations. These demand additional coordination between neighboring countries to ensure that cross-border sections of the rail network remain operational. If one country is less prepared or slower in clearing its tracks, it can become a weak link that affects the entire transborder rail corridor.
Additionally, delays can occur as customs and border control procedures become more complicated under adverse conditions. Delays can lead to the expiration of customs clearances, transit permits, and cargo manifests which can require reprocessing and cause further hold-ups.