In June 2014, DB Schenker Rail expanded its transport services to Turkey, a growth market, and now offers a new traffic connection between Cologne, Germany and Cerkezköy in Turkey. The train connection will start off with one round trip per week and is planned to increase to three per week by the end of the year if required. The trains, which are equipped with special double pocket wagons for the transport of semi-trailers, take five to six days per trip. DB Schenker Rail began offering rail services from Germany southbound towards Turkey with its Bosporus Shuttle in September 2013.

The new transport connection has been set up for the Turkish freight forwarder Ulusoy Logistics, which transferred its existing traffic from road to rail. Prior to the switch, the transport connection was operated via ferry and truck between Western Europe and Turkey. “Our new rail product is the first rail connection that is able to transport semi-trailers directly to their destination in Turkey, 40 kilometres outside of Istanbul. Up to now, this procedure was only possible with containers by rail”, commented Andreas Schulz, Head of the Intermodal Industry Sector at DB Schenker Rail.

The transport services are provided internally by DB Schenker Rail’s national companies in Germany, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. In Austria, DB Schenker Rail has a partnership with Lokomotion and works together with the Turkish national rail company, TCDD, in Turkey. “With our national companies, we already have a strong DB Schenker Rail presence in south east Europe today. Looking at Turkey’s position as a growth market, this is a clear advantage that we want to continue to develop in the future”, said Hans-Georg Werner, Head of Region East in the DB Schenker Rail Management Board.

Besides the transport handling via rail, DB Schenker also offers terminal and agency services in Germany and Turkey. In addition, a simplified customs procedure is used to significantly reduce the layover time at the Turkish border.

(Source: DB Schenker)