Trade Trans

What Trade Trans does

Trade Trans is a privately held Central and Eastern European group operating two business lines: logistics and freight forwarding, and real estate. The company has been active since 1990 and is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, with operating subsidiaries and offices in Poland, Germany, Romania, Hungary, Austria, and Italy. The logistics business delivers railway forwarding, intermodal transportation combining rail, road, sea, and river modes, sea forwarding, truck transport (including chemicals), customs services, warehousing, terminal services, and Gold-Level EU-certified secure truck parking. Its flagship asset is Railport Arad SRL, a joint venture with Rail Cargo Group (ÖBB) that operates the largest inland intermodal terminal in Romania and one of the largest in CEE, with 10.3 hectares of land, 3,000 TEU storage capacity, 4 RTG cranes, 3 reach stackers, 3 shunting locomotives (one hybrid), and 180,000-unit annual lifting capacity. The group also operates its own terminal in Curtici with 6,000m2 of covered and 20,000m2 of open storage, and a Curtici-Bettembourg direct rail connection launched in October 2024.

The group's customer base is horizontal and B2B, spanning trading companies, industrial organizations, export/import businesses, fellow freight forwarders, and logistics and supply chain companies. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with dedicated account managers and sales offices in Warsaw and Bucharest, complemented by partnerships with Rail Cargo Group's TransFER network (60+ connections), CFL multimodal, Ecco-rail, a Ukrainian terminal JV, and a network of trusted road carriers across Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Germany. Trade Trans also owns 150 hectares of logistics grounds in Romania and 65+ apartments and administrative buildings across Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, Székesfehérvár, Wrocław, Curtici, Bucharest, and Grado, generating recurring rental income alongside logistics revenue. The company does not disclose financial figures, has no external venture or private equity investment, and is led by President Dieter Kaas, with long-tenured staff (including a 25-year service milestone recognized in November 2025).

Name

Trade Trans

Legal name

Trade Trans Invest, a.s.

Website

https://tradetrans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Trade Trans is a Central and Eastern European group providing intermodal transportation, freight forwarding, terminal operations, warehousing, customs services, and secure truck parking, anchored by the Railport Arad intermodal terminal JV with Rail Cargo Group in Romania, plus a European real estate rental portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding and Intermodal Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885), Short Line Railroads (482112), Other Support Activities for Transportation (4889)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013), Trucking (No Local) (4213), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border Intermodal (Customs-in-Transit/Transit Regimes) Forwarding (TLACAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-Border/International Rail Freight Forwarding (TLACADAB), Cross-Border Trucking & Border Transfer (Linehaul, Transloading) (TLACACAC), Intermodal Terminal Value-Added Services (Cross-Dock, Transload, Stuffing/Stripping) (TLAJAFAL), Rail-Truck Transload Terminals (Inland) (TLALAFAJ)

Keywords

• Intermodal transportation
• Railway forwarding
• Freight forwarding
• Logistics services
• Warehousing distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Logistics and Forwarding Services: Core revenue stream from providing comprehensive logistics services including railway forwarding, intermodal transportation, sea forwarding, truck transport, chemical transport, customs services, warehousing, and terminal services. Services are offered to manufacturing companies, trading companies, export/import businesses, and other freight forwarders across Europe.
2. Real Estate Rental: Revenue from renting owned properties including flats and offices in Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, Szekesfehervar, Wroclaw, Curtici, Bucharest, and Grado. Properties include administrative buildings, apartments in city centers, and logistics/warehouse facilities.
3. Terminal Services: Railport Arad and Trade Trans Terminal provide cargo handling, shunting services with 3 locomotives (one hybrid), warehouse management (6,000m2 covered, 20,000m2 open storage), and transshipment of grain at their Curtici facilities.
4. Secure Truck Parking: Gold-Level certified truck parking facility at Curtici with 200 secure lots offering 24/7 security, driver amenities including showers, laundry, dining area, and free internet. Revenue generated through parking fees.
5. Consultancy and Tailored Solutions: Advisory services and customized logistics solutions for complex transport requirements, including consultancy for railway transport arrangements and multimodal supply chain optimization.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Trade Trans is a group of independently managed forwarding and logistics companies operating across Central and Eastern Europe since 1990, headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia. The company provides integrated intermodal transportation combining rail, road, sea, and river transport, with strategic terminal infrastructure at Railport Arad (joint venture with Rail Cargo Group). Core offerings include railway forwarding, intermodal transport, trucking, customs services, warehousing, terminal handling, chemical transport, and Gold-level certified secure truck parking. A secondary business line offers rental of owned real estate properties across multiple European cities.

Product overview

Trade Trans is a Group of independently managed forwarding and logistics companies and real estate companies operating across Europe since 1990, with headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia. The company operates two main business lines: logistics/forwarding services and real estate. Logistics operations include railway forwarding, intermodal transportation, sea forwarding, truck transport, customs services, warehousing, terminal services, and secure truck parking (Gold-Level certified). The group comprises multiple subsidiaries across Poland, Germany, Romania, and other European countries, including Railport Arad (intermodal terminal joint venture with Rail Cargo Group) and Trade Trans Intermodal Solution. Real estate activities span Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Italy, offering apartments, offices, and logistics grounds for rent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Railway Forwarding Railway forwarding services for transporting goods to and from European and Eastern European countries, including the Balkans, available to trading companies, industrial organizations, and freight forwarders.
• Intermodal Transportation Combined transport solutions integrating rail and road freight into intermodal networks, leveraging the Railport Arad terminal infrastructure and TransFER network connections.
• Sea Forwarding Sea freight forwarding services for international cargo transport, connecting to North Sea ports (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Zeebrugge) and global maritime trade routes.
• Truck Transport and Forwarding Road transport and forwarding services using own fleet of trucks (including Trade Trans Spedition GmbH's own fleet of trucks and barges) across Europe, providing first and last mile logistics.
• Transport of Chemicals by Rail/Ship Specialized chemical transport services via rail and maritime routes, handling hazardous materials with appropriate safety protocols for industrial chemical companies.
• Customs Services Customs clearance and brokerage services for international shipments, supporting cross-border trade across Central and Eastern Europe with expertise in regional customs procedures.
• Warehousing and Distribution Storage facilities and distribution services including 6,000m2 covered and 20,000m2 open storage in Romania, with cross-docking capabilities and strategic locations near Romania-Western Europe border.
• Consultancy and Tailor-Made Solutions Customized logistics consultancy services and innovative supply chain solutions, including complex transport arrangements and multimodal supply chain optimization for enterprise clients.
• Terminal Services Terminal handling operations including loading/unloading, shunting services with 3 locomotives (one hybrid), wagon services, and intermodal container handling with 4 RTG cranes and 3 reach stackers.
• Gold-Level Secure Truck Parking (Curtici) Dekra-certified Gold-Level secure truck parking facility with 200 lots, 24/7 surveillance, driver amenities including showers, laundry, dining area, and free internet, at the Curtici Cargo Center.
• Real Estate Rental Services Rental of owned properties including apartments, offices, and logistics grounds in Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, Székesfehérvár, Wrocław, Curtici, Bucharest, and Grado, plus 150ha of logistics grounds in Romania.

Quantifiable outcome

• Intermodal transport volume in EU doubled between 2010-2025 reaching approximately 66 billion ton-kilometers
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and important.

• Rail Cargo Group (ÖBB Rail Cargo Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Joint venture partner in Railport Arad SRL intermodal terminal. Rail Cargo Group operates TransFER connections to Curtici including TransFER Liege-Curtici (7 round trips/week) and TransFER Duisburg-Curtici (3 round trips/week). The partnership provides access to 60+ TransFER connections across Europe and beyond to Asia, connecting Curtici to major Western European logistics hubs and North Sea ports.
• KalmarimportantOthersEquipment supplier for Railport Arad providing 4 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, 3 reach stackers, and 3 terminal tractors enabling handling of containers, semi-trailers, flat racks, and swap bodies.
• Ukrainian Terminal Owner and Freight ForwarderimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian partner in Trade Trans Solution Sp. z o.o. joint venture, enabling organized transports to and from Ukraine, Poland and other European countries, and logistics services for road, rail, maritime and intermodal transports.
• CFL multimodalimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in the Romania intermodal gateway initiative, collaborating on the launch of the direct intermodal railway connection between Curtici and Bettembourg.
• Ecco-railimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in the Romania intermodal gateway initiative, contributing to the launch of the direct intermodal railway connection between Curtici and Bettembourg.
• European Carrier Network (Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Germany)importantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrusted network of road transport carriers across Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Germany supporting Trade Trans Intermodal Solution's road freight and first/last mile logistics operations.
• Local Railway CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with local railway companies across Europe enabling smooth transportation, integration of road freight and intermodal networks, and reliable service delivery.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eurogate: Operator of intermodal terminals and container logistics in Germany and the Mediterranean. Comparable for terminal operations, container handling, and intermodal forwarding across European trade lanes.
• Hupac: Swiss-based intermodal operator running trans-European shuttle trains with proprietary terminals. Comparable as a mid-sized intermodal specialist competing on similar north-south and east-west European corridors.
• Metrans: HHLA-owned intermodal rail operator running continental container trains across Central and Eastern Europe with its own terminal network. Directly comparable to Trade Trans's Railport Arad and intermodal forwarding business as the leading CEE-focused intermodal competitor.
• CFL multimodal: Luxembourg-based intermodal operator and active partner in the Curtici-Bettembourg route. Directly comparable as a mid-sized European intermodal rail/road integrator with terminal operations and forwarding services.
• PKP Cargo: Largest rail freight operator in Poland and a major CEE carrier, with its own intermodal terminals and forwarding. Competes directly with Trade Trans Combi (PL) and Trade Trans Solution in the Polish and Ukrainian trade lanes.
• Duisport: Operator of the world's largest inland port at Duisburg, a key node in Trade Trans's rail network. Comparable as an integrated inland terminal and intermodal hub providing rail, road, and waterway transshipment plus value-added logistics.

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne + Nagel: Global freight forwarder with substantial intermodal and overland operations in Europe. Comparable as a broad incumbent in freight forwarding and contract logistics that competes for the same enterprise shippers as Trade Trans.
• DSV: Global freight forwarder with deep road, air, and sea forwarding plus growing intermodal capability in Europe. Comparable as a broad incumbent with the scale to undercut sub-scale forwarders like Trade Trans on price.
• HHLA (Hamburger Hafen und Logistik): Major European port and intermodal logistics group, parent of Metrans. Comparable as a large, broad incumbent in intermodal terminals and hinterland transport that overlaps with Trade Trans's offering at a much larger scale.

Others

• Rail Cargo Group (ÖBB): Austrian rail freight operator and JV partner in Railport Arad. Not a competitor but a strategic ecosystem partner; included because the JV relationship is core to Trade Trans's intermodal network and route coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trade Trans