Despite the coronavirus-related border controls in the EU, the rail freight companies are operating reliably and can help out in the event of supply bottlenecks caused by trucks breaking down. The Pro-Rail Alliance points this out in view of growing concerns about delivery difficulties due to the stricter entry rules at the borders to the Czech Republic and Tyrol.
A rail freight company transports large volumes with significantly less effort than many trucks. While, under normal circumstances, it is the lower resource requirements and therefore the good environmental balance that count, it is currently the lower personnel deployment that is important. One freight train replaces 52 truck journeys, one train driver 52 truck drivers.
The new health checks at the borders therefore affect train traffic significantly less than road traffic. Rail freight transport stabilizes the economic cycle and provides planning security for companies. Right now, it is becoming clear how important a different transport mix with less dependence on trucks and roads is in Germany.
