DB Cargo Romania as a growth engine on East–West rail corridors

Over more than two decades, DB Cargo Romania has expanded its role within European rail freight logistics, supporting cross-border flows between Western Europe, the Balkans, the Black Sea region and, increasingly, Ukraine. The company has become a core element of rail-based supply chains in South-Eastern Europe.

Operational scale and service portfolio
Today, DB Cargo Romania employs more than 800 people and operates a fleet of 76 locomotives and over 2,700 freight wagons. This makes it the second-largest private rail freight operator in Romania. Its service portfolio includes long-distance traction, shunting services, terminal operations, and direct port connections, addressing the needs of industrial, agricultural, and trading customers.

The breadth of services allows DB Cargo Romania to support both domestic and international transport flows, ensuring continuity across complex logistics chains.

Management and strategic orientation
The company’s development is closely associated with the long-term strategy led by Eduard Iancu, CEO of DB Cargo Romania since December 2008 and responsible for DB Cargo’s Southeast European activities since 2021.

Under his leadership, DB Cargo Romania increased its market share from 0.04% to more than 12%, expanded its vehicle fleet more than tenfold, and built a highly qualified workforce. Strategic priorities include sustainable and profitable growth, customer-oriented service models, and full integration into DB Cargo’s pan-European network.

Regional integration and international corridors
DB Cargo Romania is part of a tightly interconnected Southeast European network linking Romania with Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Moldova, and Turkey. Within this regional cluster, approximately three million train kilometers are operated annually, generating revenues of around EUR 100 million.

Key logistics hubs such as Curtici, Giurgiulești, the Port of Constanța, Ruse, and Varna/Burgas ensure efficient access to international trade routes. This positioning enables DB Cargo Romania to act as a critical interface between Western Europe and the Black Sea region.

Fleet capabilities and transport segments
The company operates one of the most versatile freight fleets in Romania, including electric locomotives for international corridors, diesel and hydraulic locomotives for shunting and industrial services, and a broad range of freight wagons.

This technical diversity supports transport of grain, construction materials, metals, chemicals, intermodal units, and vehicles. The fleet configuration enables scalable and reliable transport solutions tailored to the requirements of Europe’s eastern corridors.

Role in agricultural and transit logistics
Romania’s position as a major agricultural producer and the largest export gateway on the Black Sea makes it central to European grain logistics. DB Cargo Romania plays a key role through dedicated grain wagons, strong operations in the Port of Constanța, and efficient cross-border services to Moldova and Ukraine.

In 2022 alone, more than eight million tonnes of Ukrainian grain were transported via Romania, highlighting the strategic importance of resilient rail freight logistics in periods of geopolitical and supply-chain disruption.

www.dbcargo.com