DELTA RAIL
DELTA RAIL is a French B2B multimodal rail transport operator connecting French ports (Fos-sur-Mer, Le Havre) with inland terminals and European destinations. The Groupe MODALIS subsidiary provides intermodal, multimodal, and door-to-door rail-road freight services for industrial, logistics, and transport-sector customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAix-en-Provence, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DELTA RAIL does
DELTA RAIL is a French B2B multimodal rail transport operator founded in 2019 and headquartered in Aix-en-Provence. The company connects major French seaports—Fos-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean and Le Havre on the Atlantic—with inland terminals such as Lyon and Chalon-sur-Saône, and operates international corridors to Worms and Duisburg in Germany (since April 2023) and, launching March 2026, to Piacenza in Italy. The company is structured as a SASU (simplified joint-stock company with sole shareholder) with €50,000 share capital and operates as a subsidiary of Groupe MODALIS.
The company's core technology is the orchestration of intermodal transport—moving maritime containers, swap bodies, and craneable semi-trailers (P400) via rail without intermediate stuffing or stripping, combined with road legs for first and last mile. Service offerings include Intermodal Transport, Multimodal Transport (incorporating customer wagon groups into scheduled rail lines), Door-to-Door Transport within a 150km radius of Chalon-sur-Saône, and a Transport Plan of scheduled rail services. The company is supported by French state programs ADEME and PIA for the development of a shared eco-friendly multimodal logistics platform. Its partnership with ELENGY extends capability into LNG cryogenic container transport, aiming to decarbonize heavy mobility in Europe.
DELTA RAIL generates revenue through transaction-based freight charges per transport operation, with quote-based pricing positioned competitively to market rates. The go-to-market is sales-led, targeting industrial, logistics, and transport-sector companies via direct outreach, LinkedIn presence, SITL industry trade show participation, and a website contact form. Operational governance sits with General Director Ben Smail, while publication oversight is held by Bernard Meï. The company runs 2–4 weekly rotations on key routes and is scaling to daily Fos service in 2026, indicating active but lean execution.
DELTA RAIL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DELTA RAIL
- Legal name
- DELTA RAIL
- Website
- https://deltarail.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- DELTA RAIL is a French B2B multimodal rail transport operator connecting French ports (Fos-sur-Mer, Le Havre) with inland terminals and European destinations. The Groupe MODALIS subsidiary provides intermodal, multimodal, and door-to-door rail-road freight services for industrial, logistics, and transport-sector customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DELTA RAIL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rail Freight Transport Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Line-Haul Railroads (482111)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cross-Border Rail Freight Operators (International Corridors) (TLADACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Intermodal Rail Forwarding (Rail-Truck / Rail-Port Drayage) (TLACADAC), International Intermodal Ocean-Rail (Port Rail Drayage) (TLADAFAB)
Keywords
Where DELTA RAIL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aix-en-Provence
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DELTA RAIL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Intermodal Transport Services: Transport of maritime containers, swap bodies, and craneable semi-trailers using rail transport between seaports and inland terminals. Revenue generated through freight charges based on volume, distance, and transport frequency.
- Multimodal Transport Solutions: Combined rail and road transport services incorporating customer wagon groups into scheduled rail services. Revenue generated per transport operation.
- Door-to-Door Transport: Complete logistics chain management from manufacturing site to final delivery location, within 150km radius of Chalon-sur-Saône.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
DELTA RAIL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Delta Rail operates rail-based intermodal and multimodal freight transport services, moving maritime containers, swap bodies, craneable semi-trailers (P400), and customer wagon groups between French seaports (Fos-sur-Mer, Le Havre) and inland terminals. The company combines rail efficiency with road flexibility to deliver end-to-end logistics chains within a 150km radius of Chalon-sur-Saône, with scheduled weekly services and international connections to Germany and Italy.
Product overview
DELTA RAIL is a multimodal transport operator offering an integrated suite of rail-based logistics services. The core portfolio consists of four interconnected services: Intermodal Transport (handling maritime containers, swap bodies, and craneable semi-trailers), Multimodal Transport (combining rail with road using dedicated wagon groups), Door-to-Door Transport (end-to-end logistics within 150km of Chalon-sur-Saône), and a Transport Plan providing scheduled rail connections between major French ports (Fos-sur-Mer, Le Havre) and inland terminals (Lyon, Chalon-sur-Saône). The company also operates international services to Germany (Worms, Duisburg) and is expanding to Italy (Piacenza).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Intermodal Transport
Quantifiable outcome
- 66% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 34 tonnes of CO2 avoided per full train
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use DELTA RAIL
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
DELTA RAIL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DELTA RAIL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and operational.
- ELENGYcoreStrategic partnership between ELENGY (LNG terminal operator) and DELTA RAIL for LNG transport by rail. DELTA RAIL transports LNG cryogenic tank containers via combined rail logistics from Fos-sur-Mer to German consumption zones (Worms, Duisburg, Le Havre platforms). This innovative intermodal logistics solution aims to accelerate decarbonization of heavy mobility in Europe. The partnership was presented at SITL 2023 workshop on March 29, 2023. ELENGY is developing this rail-based LNG transport to increase hinterland reach from LNG terminals.
- MODALIS GroupcoreDelta Rail is a subsidiary of the MODALIS Group. This parent-subsidiary relationship provides organizational backing and integration within a larger logistics group.
- ADEME (Environment and Energy Management Agency)strategicDELTA RAIL has support from France's ADEME (Environment and Energy Management Agency) and PIA (Future Investments Program) to develop a shared services platform for eco-friendly multimodal logistics.
- PIA (Programme d'Investissements d'Avenir / Future Investments Program)strategicDELTA RAIL has support from France's ADEME and PIA (Future Investments Program) to develop a shared services platform for eco-friendly multimodal logistics.
- APROPORToperationalAPROPORT operates the multimodal platform at Chalon-sur-Saône where DELTA RAIL stops. This is an operational partnership for terminal access and handling at the inland port.
- EurofosoperationalDELTA RAIL directly serves Eurofos seaport terminal at Fos-sur-Mer as part of its operational network.
- SeayardoperationalDELTA RAIL directly serves Seayard seaport terminal at Fos-sur-Mer as part of its operational network.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DELTA RAIL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kombiverkehr: German intermodal rail-road operator running combined transport services, comparable to Delta Rail's Chalon-Worms-Duisburg axis.
- Hupac: Swiss-based intermodal operator running trans-Alpine and intra-European rail shuttles, a benchmark for Delta Rail's planned continental expansion into Italy (Piacenza).
- VIIA: French operator of Modalohr road-rail piggyback services on key national corridors, the closest direct comparator to Delta Rail's intermodal/multimodal model using P400 craneable semi-trailers.
- Naviland Cargo: French rail freight operator specializing in combined transport (containers, swap bodies) connecting French ports to inland terminals, directly overlapping Delta Rail's core Fos/Le Havre corridors.
- CFL multimodal: Luxembourg-based combined transport operator providing rail-road freight services across European corridors, comparable in scope and customer type to Delta Rail.
Emerging players
- Forwardis: SNCF subsidiary acting as a digital rail freight forwarder and capacity provider across Europe, an emerging alternative that competes for shipper relationships Delta Rail targets.
Broad incumbents
- TX Logistik: Trenitalia-owned European rail freight and intermodal operator with strong presence in Germany, Italy and trans-Alpine corridors, a broader incumbent competing for Delta Rail's target shippers.
- DB Cargo: Europe's largest rail freight operator, with extensive combined transport and intermodal terminals; directly relevant to Delta Rail's German operations and the competitive backdrop on cross-border lanes.
- Hexafret (ex-Fret SNCF): France's incumbent rail freight operator after the break-up of Fret SNCF, offering nationwide line-haul and combined transport; a dominant incumbent that competes with Delta Rail on every French lane.
Others
- Eurofos: Container terminal operator at Fos-sur-Mer, a key node in Delta Rail's network; relevant as a strategic operational partner and infrastructure dependency rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DELTA RAIL social profiles
Digital presenceDELTA RAIL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DELTA RAIL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
DELTA RAIL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DELTA RAIL 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 DELTA RAIL
What does DELTA RAIL do?
Delta Rail operates rail-based intermodal and multimodal freight transport services, moving maritime containers, swap bodies, craneable semi-trailers (P400), and customer wagon groups between French seaports (Fos-sur-Mer, Le Havre) and inland terminals. The company combines rail efficiency with road flexibility to deliver end-to-end logistics chains within a 150km radius of Chalon-sur-Saône, with scheduled weekly services and international connections to Germany and Italy.
Is DELTA RAIL a public or private company?
DELTA RAIL is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was DELTA RAIL founded?
DELTA RAIL was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is DELTA RAIL based?
DELTA RAIL is headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, France, in the Europe region.
How does DELTA RAIL make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Intermodal Transport Services are the primary driver. The others are multimodal Transport Solutions and door-to-Door Transport.
Who are DELTA RAIL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kombiverkehr, Hupac, VIIA, Naviland Cargo and CFL multimodal. Forwardis is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are TX Logistik, DB Cargo and Hexafret (ex-Fret SNCF). Eurofos is listed as an others.
Does DELTA RAIL have an API?
No public API is recorded for DELTA RAIL.
What industry is DELTA RAIL in?
DELTA RAIL's product category is Rail Freight Transport Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADACAL, Cross-Border Rail Freight Operators (International Corridors), with a secondary code of TLACADAC, Intermodal Rail Forwarding (Rail-Truck / Rail-Port Drayage). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.