VIIA
VIIA is a French rail motorway operator and SNCF subsidiary that transports standard European semi-trailers by train across France, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It uses Lohr/Modalohr horizontal-loading technology to serve road carriers and freight forwarders seeking lower-cost, lower-emission long-distance freight.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLevallois-perret, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What VIIA does
VIIA is a French rail motorway (autoroute ferroviaire) operator, founded in 2012 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNCF's Rail Logistics Europe division. The company transports standard European semi-trailers by train across a pan-European network of routes — including Le Boulou–Bettembourg, Le Boulou–Calais, Mâcon–Calais, Aiton–Orbassano, and Mâcon–Le Boulou — with three additional Sète-based lines planned following its January 2022 win of the Port of Sète multimodal terminal management contract. Its core technology is Lohr's Modalohr horizontal-loading wagon system, which enables cranes-free loading of any European-standard semi-trailer and supports up to 10 trains per day on the same axis with 24/7 terminal availability.
The company's product portfolio centers on rail motorway freight services, supplemented by the VIIA DRIVE mobile application for driver pre-registration and real-time terminal status (available in 10 languages on iOS and Android), the VIIA&YOU customer booking and tracking portal, and terminal management services delivered through the VIIA Connect subsidiary. Pricing follows a published Schedule of Fares with transaction-based per-shipment fees, surcharges for dangerous goods, and a stated cost position 10–15% below equivalent road-only transport.
VIIA primarily serves road transport carriers and logistics companies shifting long-distance freight from road to rail, with named enterprise customers including Sesé (fashion retail), Mainsped (long-haul logistics), and Vlantana (refrigerated transport). Go-to-market is sales-led with a dedicated commercial and marketing department, supported by a digital presence (corporate site, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, email newsletter, and press room), and direct booking via the website quotation system and VIIA&YOU portal. The company markets a 90%+ reduction in CO2 emissions versus road transport and has been carbon-neutral since 2020, positioning itself as the first carbon-neutral long-distance land carrier.
VIIA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VIIA
- Legal name
- VIIA
- Website
- https://viia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- VIIA is a French rail motorway operator and SNCF subsidiary that transports standard European semi-trailers by train across France, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It uses Lohr/Modalohr horizontal-loading technology to serve road carriers and freight forwarders seeking lower-cost, lower-emission long-distance freight.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VIIA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rail Freight Transport
- NAICS
- Line-Haul Railroads (482111), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Rail Transportation (482)
- SIC
- Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013), Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Domestic Intermodal Rail-Truck (COFC/TOFC) (TLADAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Intermodal Terminal Operations (Rail–Truck) (TLAJAFAA), Rail Ramp Operations (Lift-On/Lift-Off, TOFC/COFC) (TLAJAFAD)
Keywords
Where VIIA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Levallois-perret
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
VIIA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Freight / Rail Motorway Transport Services: VIIA charges customers (road carriers and freight forwarders) for the transport of semi-trailers via its rail motorway lines. Pricing is based on a Schedule of Fares communicated at booking, with surcharges for dangerous goods. The revenue is transaction-based per loading unit transported, priced 10–15% below equivalent road transport. VIIA acts as a combined transport operator and/or freight forwarder.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Per-shipment freight rates based on loading unit type and route |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
VIIA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VIIA operates rail motorway (autoroute ferroviaire) services that transport accompanied and unaccompanied semi-trailers on freight trains between European terminals, using Modalohr horizontal-loading wagons that allow standard road trailers to be loaded directly onto rail without cranes. The service is targeted at logistics companies, freight forwarders, and shippers moving road trailers over long distances, with driver accompaniment available on select lines.
Product overview
VIIA operates as a rail motorway (autoroute ferroviaire) operator providing multimodal transport services that combine railway cadence with road flexibility. The core offering consists of rail motorway services transporting semi-trailers by train across Europe. Supporting this core service are the VIIA DRIVE mobile application for truck drivers, the VIIA & You customer booking and information portal, and VIIA Connect terminal management services. The company operates a pan-European network of routes in France, Italy, and Spain with partner connections to Northern and Eastern Europe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rail motorway (autoroute ferroviaire) transport service Core intermodal rail transport service that carries full road semi-trailers (accompanied by drivers on select routes or unaccompanied) on freight trains between European terminals, using Modalohr horizontal-loading wagons. Designed for logistics providers, freight forwarders, and industrial shippers moving trailers over long distances.
- VIIA DRIVE mobile application Mobile application for truck drivers using the accompanied rail motorway service, providing information on departures, arrivals, boarding procedures, and journey status between terminals.
- VIIA & You customer portal Online customer portal enabling logistics clients to book shipments, manage reservations, track trailers, and access documentation for VIIA rail motorway services.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 90% reduction in CO2 emissions and atmospheric pollutants compared to road transport
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use VIIA
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
VIIA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
VIIA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Türkiye and Mediterranean to Northern Europe (MoU partners)minorA Memorandum of Understanding connecting Türkiye and the Mediterranean to Northern Europe via VIIA's rail motorway network was announced in November 2023. This MoU extends VIIA's network eastward and establishes international collaboration for multimodal freight transport.
- Port of Sète (Port de Sète)coreVIIA won two Appels à Manifestation d'Intérêt (Calls for Expression of Interest) launched by the Port of Sète and the French State. VIIA Connect (within the Rail Logistics Europe pole of the SNCF group) was awarded operational management of the Port of Sète's future multimodal terminal and will launch new regular rail motorway services from the port starting early 2023. The new terminal, built on over 6 hectares, uses Lohr technology with 1 horizontal loading lane and 3 vertical loading lanes.
- Lohr (Société Lohr)coreLohr provides the horizontal loading wagon technology (Modalohr) and terminal infrastructure used across VIIA's network, including at Le Boulou, Calais, and the new Sète terminal. This technology enables VIIA to load standard semi-trailers onto trains without cranes, which is central to VIIA's service offering and operational efficiency.
- SNCF (Rail Logistics Europe)coreVIIA is a subsidiary of Rail Logistics Europe, which is part of the SNCF group. This parent-subsidiary relationship provides VIIA with access to rail infrastructure, operational expertise, and the broader logistics network of France's national railway company.
- Partner Rail Networks (Poznan, Rostock, Kiel, Antwerp)minorVIIA's network connects to partner rail networks at Bettembourg, enabling connections to Poznan, Rostock, Kiel, and Antwerp. These are indirect routing partnerships allowing VIIA to offer extended destination coverage beyond its directly operated lines.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
VIIA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DSV: Global freight forwarder with significant European road and intermodal capabilities (including rail). Competes with VIIA for shipper logistics spend and offers alternative intermodal products on overlapping European corridors.
- Geodis: Major French multimodal logistics provider (SNCF group subsidiary) offering road, rail, and forwarding services including combined transport. Sister SNCF entity competing for the same multimodal freight customers.
- DB Cargo: European rail freight incumbent (subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn) and the dominant line-haul rail carrier across Germany and into neighboring countries. Competes with VIIA indirectly via its own combined transport and intermodal products.
- Captrain: European rail freight operator (part of SNCF group historically, now under VIA Rail Logistics / Nacco) providing combined transport and rail forwarding services across Western Europe. Overlaps with VIIA on freight forwarding and intermodal.
Direct peers
- HUPAC: Swiss intermodal operator running unaccompanied combined transport (container/swap body) across the Alps and into the Benelux/Germany. Comparable in modal-shift proposition and cross-border European corridor focus.
- Naviland Cargo: French rail freight operator and sister subsidiary within SNCF's Rail Logistics Europe division, competing for combined transport flows across the same French network. Closest comparable in business model (combined transport operator/forwarder) and customer overlap.
- Kombiverkehr: German intermodal operator running accompanied and unaccompanied combined transport services across Europe. Direct competitor for European road-rail modal shift volumes, particularly on German corridors.
- RAlpin: Swiss operator of rolling highway (autoroute ferroviaire) services through the Alps using Modalohr-compatible technology. Most direct functional peer to VIIA's rail motorway model, focused on the Freiburg–Novara corridor.
- TX Logistik: European rail freight and intermodal operator (subsidiary of Italian FS / Mercitalia) offering combined transport services across Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria. Competes with VIIA on Alpine and cross-border flows.
Others
- Kuehne+Nagel: Global freight forwarder and logistics integrator with growing rail/intermodal offerings in Europe. Adjacent peer — not a direct rail motorway operator but competes for the same shipper volumes and sustainability-driven modal shift demand.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VIIA social profiles
Digital presenceVIIA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VIIA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
VIIA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
VIIA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VIIA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VIIA
What does VIIA do?
VIIA operates rail motorway (autoroute ferroviaire) services that transport accompanied and unaccompanied semi-trailers on freight trains between European terminals, using Modalohr horizontal-loading wagons that allow standard road trailers to be loaded directly onto rail without cranes. The service is targeted at logistics companies, freight forwarders, and shippers moving road trailers over long distances, with driver accompaniment available on select lines.
Is VIIA a public or private company?
VIIA is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was VIIA founded?
VIIA was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is VIIA based?
VIIA is headquartered in Levallois-perret, France, in the Europe region.
How does VIIA make money?
One revenue line is on record: freight / Rail Motorway Transport Services.
Who are VIIA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DSV, Geodis, DB Cargo and Captrain. Direct peers are HUPAC, Naviland Cargo, Kombiverkehr, RAlpin and TX Logistik. Kuehne+Nagel is listed as an others.
Does VIIA have an API?
No public API is recorded for VIIA.
What industry is VIIA in?
VIIA's product category is Rail Freight Transport. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAFAA, Domestic Intermodal Rail-Truck (COFC/TOFC), with a secondary code of TLAJAFAA, Intermodal Terminal Operations (Rail–Truck). Its NAICS code is 482111 and its SIC code is 4011.