“Extending transport routes abroad isn’t just about competing but primarily about meeting customer demands,” says Tomáš Tóth, chairman of the board of ČD Cargo, a.s., and goes on to add, “Of course, it’s also an opportunity for our company to offset the decline in domestic transport and secure additional revenue.”
Since 2015, ČD Cargo Group has been successfully expanding into international markets. In addition to the Czech Republic, it operates in six other European countries through various branches and subsidiaries. While in 2020, the company transported approximately four million tons of goods outside the Czech Republic, last year that number reached nearly twelve million tons. A significant portion of this success comes from the company’s Slovak subsidiary, CD Cargo Slovakia.
Origins and development in Slovakia
Czech Railways’ presence in Slovakia dates back to the 1980s, initially focused on passenger transport services. Thanks to the Bratislava offce, for example, the Pendolino trains began operating in Slovakia. Over time, the company shifted its focus toward representing its parent company in freight transport. In response, on September 24, 2008, ČD Cargo established a standalone subsidiary in Slovakia under the name “Generálne zastúpenie ČD Cargo, s.r.o.” (GZ Bratislava). In 2017, the company was renamed CD Cargo Slovakia, s.r.o. The company’s first transport took place in June 2020, and today, with an output of around 70 million gross ton-kilometers per month, it ranks third among Slovak freight transporters. The company operates seven proprietary and five long-term leased locomotives, as well as more than 300 wagons. It also relies on the strong support of its parent company when needed. In total, 58 employees manage train operations in Slovakia.
A sought-after partner
Unlike most private operators in Slovakia, CD Cargo Slovakia does more than just handle transit between the Czech Republic and Hungary via the border stations in Kúty, Rusovce, or Štúrovo. Locomotives bearing the CD Cargo logo can be spotted all across Slovakia. The company is, for instance, a well-established transporter of sugar beets from Záhorí to the Hrušovany nad Jevišovkou sugar refinery. CD Cargo Slovakia also delivers fuel to storage facilities in Kežmarok, in the High Tatra foothills, and participates in transporting timber from areas affected by bark beetle infestations, such as the Horehronie region. Grain transport is also significant, including both transit from Romania and Hungary, and grain loaded in Slovakia and elsewhere. A major focus is placed on intermodal transport, and the company is well-equipped to handle special shipments, such as the transport of more than 160-ton transformers to the Mochovce nuclear power plant. CD Cargo Slovakia is also a sought-after partner for railway maintenance work, providing services like gravel transport and unloading. The company fully owns CD Cargo Hungary, which has been a full-fledged rail operator in Hungary since October 2022.
Further expansion
“The synergy within ČD Cargo Group is extremely positive and strategically crucial. Customers value being able to transport their trains under a single brand from the origin station all the way to the destination. During negotiations, they often ask if this will be done with a single locomotive and driver, and they’re interested in interoperability, especially compared to road transport. That’s why I view the development of ČD Cargo Group and the collaboration between its various subsidiaries very positively,” emphasizes Daniel Zajko, managing director of CD Cargo Slovakia. He goes on to add, “Our greatest level of cooperation is with our parent company, ČD Cargo, and then with our subsidiary, CD Cargo Hungary, as well as our Vienna branch, ČD Cargo Niederlassung Wien.” Tomáš Tóth also notes that other countries are of interest to ČD Cargo. “We definitely want to focus on Belgium and the Netherlands, which are attractive due to their connection to seaports. That’s why our fleet will be strengthened this year with ten new Vectron locomotives, intended for use in these countries. Italy is an interesting but challenging market, and we also aim to establish a stronger presence in the Balkans, where we plan to utilize our older locomotives. Tests for modifying them for operations in Croatia are currently underway,” says the Chairman of the Board.
