The Graz & Wels Xpress, the 11th route in the network, creates a rail connection to southern Austria, with a stopover in the city of Wels. This new additional connection strengthens the product offering in Austria since Lineas launched the Vienna Xpress in 2015.
The Graz region is particularly known to be commercially very dynamic, especially when it comes to the automotive and the paper manufacturing industries. The region of Wels also enjoys a dynamic industrial sector, with a strong presence of the chemical industry.
The innovative principle of an Xpress product consists of bundling various types of freight, ranging from steel, chemicals, and consumer goods, via pallets to containers, to capitalize fully on the strengths of rail: transporting large volumes over (medium)/long distances. The number of shunting operations during the journey is therefore limited, rendering GXN products extremely reliable, flexible and fast.
Moreover, with the implementation of a new transport plan at the end of 2016, all Benelux destinations can be reached within a day. This includes the Port of Rotterdam, via the Rotterdam Shuttle. Other GXN connections bring Le Havre and Sweden within easy reach. Moreover, the Port of Antwerp constitutes a prime gateway for export to the United States.
Initially the Graz & Wels Xpress runs twice a week, leaving Antwerp on Tuesday and Friday morning and carrying a combination of conventional and intermodal loads. The aim will be to increase the frequency in the coming months. It takes 32 hours to complete the journey to Graz, including the stopover in Wels.
This way, the train has a full capacity of 1,780 tons to make the journey to Wels, where it sheds at least 580 tons, so that it can cross the Alps to travel on to Graz. Austrian partner LTE handles the last mile in Graz as in Wels.
Lineas CEO Geert Pauwels: “The Graz & Wels Xpress fits perfectly in our portfolio of premium rail products, which aim to offer customers direct, frequent and reliable end-to-end rail solutions. Just as for the Vienna Xpress, we are confident that this new product will be successful in convincing customers to make the modal shift from road to rail, positively affecting mobility and the environment.”
“This new rail product is very welcomed by the Port of Antwerp as it fits perfect into the new CEE Hinterland Strategy of the Port with the chance to gain valuable volume out from this booming and powerful industrial region.”, says Walter Holzhammer, the representative of the Port in Austria.
