Road closures in Germany have an impact

Road closures in Germany have an impact

October 6, 2025 | DVZ

Austria's logistics companies are also anxiously awaiting the upcoming modernizations and closures of railway lines in southern Germany. LKW Walter CEO Herbert Traxler describes the situation as serious, but not dramatic: "We can give the all-clear for 2026; supply chains will remain intact."

Austrian Federal Railways is expecting route changes in Germany due to line closures, for example in the Passau area. "We will be able to get the majority of the trains through, some of them via the Czech Republic," emphasized ÖBB Rail Cargo CEO Clemens Först last Thursday at the Vienna Logistics Forum of the Network Logistics Association (VNL). Nevertheless, rail could lose competitiveness in the short term, while truck transport is likely to become somewhat more expensive due to bottlenecks.

Nevertheless, according to VNL Chairman Franz Staberhofer, the intermodal topic will remain important in the future. "Individual transports are not a guarantee of success and are expensive." Postal Service CEO Peter Umundum, who expects parcel volumes to double in view of the approaching peak season, argues similarly: "It's important to invest in growth in a timely and forward-looking manner."