SGKV publishes statistical report 2025 on traffic development

The Studiengesellschaft für den Kombinierten Verkehr (SGKV e.V.) has published the annual statistical report „Numbers and Facts“ for the reporting year 2025. The report is now available on the SGKV website and provides comprehensive evaluations based on official statistics. It analyzes both the rail and waterway combined transport as well as the overall freight transport in Germany.

Content of the Report

The report contains detailed information on the volume and performance development in overall freight transport as well as in combined transport. In addition to the official statistics, the report also includes two excursions. The first excursion deals with the total energy consumption of a container transport from Basel to Rotterdam and presents this graphically by mode of transport. The second excursion addresses the expected resource needs for the infrastructural replacement, new construction, and expansion of combined transport terminals by the year 2033, based on a survey conducted by SGKV in 2025.

Developments in Freight Transport

According to the report, in 2025, almost all transport sectors of freight transport in Germany recorded declines, with the exception of maritime transport. Combined transport, which includes both rail and waterway transport, also showed declines due to the overall economic situation. The transport volume decreased by 1.6% and the transport performance by 1.4% compared to the previous year.

However, the „Rolling Medium-Term Forecast“ by Intraplan Consult and BALM predicts a positive development for rail-based combined transport. A growth of 3.0% in transport volume and 3.2% in transport performance in Germany is expected by 2029. This indicates that rail-based combined transport continues to be regarded as a growth driver in rail freight transport.

The statistical report can be downloaded free of charge at sgkv.de/publikationen/zahlen-und-fakten/. Additionally, the interactive dashboard based on the report (https://sgkv.de/der-kombinierte-verkehr/zahlen-zum-kv/) has been updated with figures on combined transport.