Source: https://www.railfreight.com/intermodal/2025/10/17/viia-launches-two-new-rail-highway-services/
VIIA launches two new rail highway services
Author: Marco Raimondi
17.10.2025 | It has been a busy week for VIIA, the French railway highway specialist part of the state-owned SNCF Group. The company launched two new services: a domestic one between Sète and Calais and an international one between Bettembourg, in Luxembourg, with Moguerre, near the French border with Spain.
The new service in Sète follows the opening of a new terminal and will allow for the rail transport of semi-trailers to and from the port of Calais, on the French northeastern coast. The new facility is equipped with Lohr’s horizontal loading technology, which enables the rail transport of non-cranable semi-trailers as well as mega trailers, boosting the modal shift.
The construction of the terminal cost 20 million euros, provided by VIIA, the Occitanie region and Port Sud de France. The port of Sète is a key entry point into Europe for cargo coming by sea from Türkiye. “This development offers Turkish companies an important opportunity to deliver their cargo to the north of France, the Benelux region and the Scandinavian countries”, VIIA said on LinkedIn.
Bettembourg-Moguerre rail highway
In addition to the Sète-Calais service, VIIA also inaugurated a new rail highway connection between the terminal in Bettembourg, Luxembourg, and Brittany Ferries’ new facility in Moguerre. This initiative is carried out by VIIA’s subsidiary Lorry Rail. For the first month there will be two roundtrips per week, which will be then doubled after 17 November.
Other than VIIA and Lorry Rail and Brittany Ferries, the project sees the involvement of Ambrogio and CFL Terminals for the terminals, Captrain for traction and, once again, Lohr which will provide the special wagons. The first train left Bettembourg on Wednesday 15 October and reached Moguerre the next day.