The transition to net-zero logistics is key for Europe’s future, but it is not without its challenges. Foremost among them is the need to optimise freight flows and enable seamless multimodal connectivity.
The ‘Net-Zero-Logistics study’, developed by EY for Europe’s Rail in cooperation with a steering committee of key European rail and logistics players (CER, CLECAT, EIM, ERFA, ETP-Alice, European Commission – DG MOVE, UIP, UIRR, UNIFE) and a panel of independent academics, was published in June 2025 and analyses the potential contribution of rail freight to the development of net-zero logistics chains across Europe.
And the role that rail freight can play in it is big, for the study finds significant societal and economic value as a result of investing in rail innovation and deployment in Europe’s logistics mix: fewer accidents, less air pollution, and lower congestion: reducing external costs by €85 billion, €74 billion in energy savings, infrastructure maintenance costs reduced by €6 billion.
In short: Every €1 invested in sustainable and efficient logistics will generate up to €5 of added value for the European people.
Substantial investment efforts in rail performance and innovation are, of course, a prerequisite for this scenario to come true. And if the measures are bundled (e.g. optimised infrastructure management, consistent deployment of ERTMS and DAC, enhanced integration of rail freight in multimodal hubs and ports, etc.) and not carried out in isolation, rail can make a quantum leap forward in terms of performance and the spillover effects will be huge, amplifying the overall benefits across the whole logistics system, i.e. maximise the resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability of Europe’s freight transport network.
For full details and to access the study: https://uiprail.org/publication/net-zero-logistics-study-the-crucial-role-of-rail-freight-for-europes-future/
Nota bene: all results are interpreted in comparison to a baseline scenario, which includes the most ambitious assumptions for the decarbonisation of road transport and inland waterway (IWW) transport. This approach ensures that the results remain objective and do not bias the analysis in favour of rail transport by underestimating the potential development of other transport modes.
