What Russian Railways Logistics does

JSC RZD Logistics is a multimodal logistics operator established on November 19, 2010 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSC Russian Railways (via JSC OTLC Logistics), headquartered in Moscow with 13 branches across Russia and one in Astana, Kazakhstan. The company organizes cargo transportation across rail, sea, road, and river modes, with a primary focus on international corridors including the North-South International Transport Corridor (INSTC) connecting Russia to India via Central Asia and Iran, China-Europe routes via the Trans-Siberian and Kazakhstan, and domestic Russian logistics. Service lines span freight forwarding, supply chain management outsourcing for industrial enterprises, project logistics for heavy and oversized cargo up to 500 tonnes, customs clearance, and temperature-controlled cargo transportation.

The company's principal asset differentiator is a fleet of 500 autonomous SMART refrigerated 40-foot containers (100 acquired in 2021, 400 in 2022) equipped with Carrier Supra 1250 refrigeration units, GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou tracking, remote temperature monitoring, and autonomous operation for 25-50 days. This fleet underpins two proprietary branded services: Agroexpress, a digital service for accelerated delivery of Russian agro-products to China via the My Export portal co-developed with JSC Russian Export Centre, and Pharmexpress, a GDP-compliant pharmaceutical cold chain service. Additional technical capabilities include an in-house design office for oversized cargo engineering, gauge transshipment between 1520mm (Russian/CIS) and 1435mm (standard) rail systems, and a leased fleet of specialized transporter wagons (Schnabel-type cars up to 220-ton capacity) for heavy-lift operations.

RZD Logistics generates revenue primarily through transaction-based freight forwarding fees, project logistics contracts, supply chain outsourcing engagements, and temperature-controlled cargo services, with pricing quoted per shipment based on cargo type, volume, route, and service requirements. Distribution is overwhelmingly direct enterprise sales through the branch network supplemented by the My Export digital platform and partnerships with KTZ Express, FESCO, Nurminen Logistics, and the Sino-Worlink joint supply chain agreement. The customer base is anchored by large industrial clients in metallurgy (EVRAZ RUDA, Nornickel), oil & gas (Gazprom), agriculture and food (Miratorg, Rusagro, GAP Resurs), automotive (Geely, Volvo, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Daimler, Electrocars Rus), manufacturing (Kerama Marazzi, Larta Glass), and energy (Balakovo NPP, Bureyskaya HPP), alongside international trade companies served via Eurasian corridors.

Name

Russian Railways Logistics

Legal name

Joint Stock Company RZD Logistics

Website

https://rzdlog.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JSC RZD Logistics is the multimodal logistics subsidiary of Russian Railways, headquartered in Moscow with 13 branches across Russia and Kazakhstan. The company organizes rail, sea, and road transport along Eurasian corridors including INSTC and China-Europe routes, serving industrial, agricultural, and trade clients via freight forwarding, project logistics, customs, and temperature-controlled cold chain services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Freight Forwarding and Multimodal Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Transportation (488)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Transportation Services (4700), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Cargo Logistics & Transport Management (TLADAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drayage & Intermodal Dispatch Management (TLAIAEAG), Drayage & Intermodal Truck Transfer (Port/Rail Ramp) (TLACACAE), Project Cargo & Heavy-Lift Transload (TLALAFAL)

Keywords

• Multimodal freight forwarding
• Rail freight logistics
• Supply chain management
• Temperature-controlled transport
• Project cargo logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Moscow

HQ country

Russia

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services: Core revenue from organizing multimodal cargo transportation across international corridors including North-South ITC, China-Europe routes, and domestic Russian transport. Services include forwarding, customs clearance, and door-to-door delivery.
2. Supply Chain Management Services: Logistics outsourcing for industrial enterprises including infrastructure design, raw material supply, in-plant logistics, and enterprise flow management. Revenue from consulting, audit, and full-cycle logistics management.
3. Temperature-Controlled Cargo (Agroexpress/Pharmexpress): Specialized transport services for perishable agricultural products and pharmaceuticals using proprietary fleet of 500 autonomous refrigerated containers. Revenue from container rental and transportation fees.
4. Project Logistics: Transportation of heavy, oversized, and project cargo up to 500 tons including specialized equipment delivery, route coordination, and infrastructure services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Russian Railways Logistics (RZD Logistics) is a multimodal logistics operator organizing cargo transportation across rail, sea, road, and river transport throughout Eurasia. The company delivers end-to-end freight forwarding, supply chain management, customs clearance, project logistics for heavy/oversized cargo, and temperature-controlled agricultural and pharmaceutical transport via international corridors including North-South ITC, China-Europe, and Russia-China routes. Its differentiated offering includes the Agroexpress and Pharmexpress digital services backed by a proprietary fleet of 500 autonomous refrigerated containers.

Product overview

RZD Logistics operates as a multimodal logistics operator for JSC Russian Railways, offering a comprehensive suite of logistics services across rail, sea, road, and river transport throughout Eurasia. The product portfolio comprises five core service lines: Multimodal Service (container transportation across countries), Supply Chain Management (comprehensive logistics for industrial facilities), Freight Logistics (forwarding and rolling stock services), Project Logistics (heavy/specialized cargo up to 500 tons), and Agricultural Logistics (temperature-controlled cargo). The company differentiates through two specialized digital products: Agroexpress (digital platform for agricultural exports to China via the My Export portal) and Pharmexpress (pharmaceutical cold chain delivery). Asset base includes 500 autonomous refrigerated containers with GPS/temperature monitoring and a leased fleet of specialized transporter wagons. Services are delivered through 12 branches across Russia and Kazakhstan with a central Moscow headquarters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pharmexpress: Specialized service for delivery of pharmaceuticals, pharmacological substances, cosmetics, and veterinary products with temperature-controlled transportation (range -25C to +25C) complying with GDP requirements.
• Agroexpress
• RailJet

Products and services

• Multimodal Service Organization of cargo delivery in multi-purpose containers by rail and other modes of transport, providing logistics services for international trade and production throughout Eurasia, including export-import, transit container transportation, and customs services.
• Supply Chain Management Comprehensive logistics services for industrial and infrastructure facilities including in-plant logistics, raw material supply, and outbound logistics, providing logistics auditing and consulting, and turnkey supply solutions for enterprises.
• Freight Logistics Organization of complex services for freight forwarding and empty rolling stock across the 1520/1435 gauge space, provision of all types of rolling stock as well as cargo transportation by railway ferry services.
• Project Logistics Freight forwarding services for heavy and oversized cargo with door-to-door transportation of oversized, heavy-lift (up to 500t), long-length (up to 100m) cargo domestically and internationally, supported by in-house engineering design capabilities.
• Agricultural Logistics Logistics services for agricultural and pharmaceutical products including temperature-controlled transportation using a fleet of autonomous refrigerated containers with temperature range from -25°C to +25°C.
• Agroexpress Specialized digital service for delivery of agro-industrial products from Russia to China, developed by JSC RZD Logistics and JSC Russian Export Centre (REC). Offers accelerated railway delivery in container trains with temperature control, phytosanitary and veterinary control requirements, and customs clearance through the My Export digital platform.
• Pharmexpress Delivery service for pharmaceutical products, pharmaceutical raw materials, cosmetics, and veterinary products. Complies with GDP requirements and guarantees uninterrupted cold chain transportation with temperature range from -25°C to +25°C.
• Customs Representative Services Full range of customs clearance services with the company's own customs broker network operating throughout Russia, providing documentary support for commodity shipments and customs clearance of cargo.
• RailJet Expedited delivery service for cargo in baggage cars along routes such as Moscow-Manzhouli-Moscow, supporting fast e-commerce and postal item delivery between Russia and China.

Quantifiable outcome

• 118 million tons of cargo transported since inception
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Transit LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint container service from Hefei station (China) to Yuzhny Port terminal in Moscow. Partnership enables regular container service with 100-conditional-wagon trains.
• Dry Port Yuzhnouralsky (GTLK)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with GTLK subsidiary for Agroexpress operations along Eastern route of INSTC to India. Organized multimodal delivery of oat-flakes and cereals as first full-fledged Agroexpress train.
• International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ICIE)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Memorandum on cooperation for realization of transport and logistics potential in transportation between Russia and Persian Gulf countries, as well as North Africa.
• Sino-Worlink International Supply Chain ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Strategic partnership agreement signed for supply chain management cooperation, expanding Chinese market presence and logistics capabilities.
• KTZ ExpresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Cooperation with KTZ Express enabled expansion of Agroexpress service to China. KTZ Express provides cargo forwarding through Kazakhstan territory for regular train departures.
• FESCO Transportation GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Signed agreement for joint service RailJet on expedited delivery of cargo in baggage cars along Moscow-Manzhouli-Moscow route. First joint service implementing agreements between JSC Russian Railways and China Railway for transportation of cargo, e-commerce goods, and postal items.
• UTI Transit LLC (Uzbekistan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Established joint venture RZDL TRANSSERVICE GROUP LLC aimed at increasing rail freight traffic between Russia, China, and Central Asian countries. Russian-Uzbek joint venture for logistics operations.
• Nurminen Logistics Services OYcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Launched regular intermodal service Finland Bridge via Russian Far East ports and Trans-Siberian Railway. Partnership enables shipping containers between Asia-Pacific region and Finland/Russia via Vladivostok.
• Pasifik Eurasia LogisticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021First container train from Turkey to Russia along Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway corridor organized with Pasifik Eurasia Logistics.
• JSC Russian Export CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Launched joint digital platform My Export for Agroexpress service. Russian Export Centre provides export support, brokerage services, and government compensation programs for agricultural exporters.
• CONCOR Corporation (India)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Agreement signed under which Indian company intends to provide container fleet and equipment for organization and development of transportation on North-South ITC. Supports planned volume of 200,000+ TEU.
• CD Cargo Logistic (Czech Republic)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Far East Land Bridge Ltd (FELB), subsidiary of Russian Railways Logistics, signed strategic cooperation agreement with CD Cargo Logistic for European logistics expansion.
• Port of Hamburg MarketingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Joined Port of Hamburg Marketing Association for European market access and partnership development.
• Russian-Azerbaijani Business CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Joined Russian-Azerbaijani Business Council for bilateral trade and logistics development.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• KTZ Express (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy): National rail forwarding arm of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy; a partnership counterparty for Agroexpress transits but also a competitor for China-Russia/Kazakhstan transit volumes that pass through the same corridor.

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne+Nagel International AG: Global freight forwarder with established CIS and Asia-Europe forwarding products; competes for international trade company and project cargo customers targeted by RZD Logistics.
• CEVA Logistics: Global 3PL/4PL provider with contract logistics, freight forwarding, and project cargo capabilities serving similar industrial and automotive accounts to RZD Logistics' customer base.
• Sinotrans Limited: China's state-affiliated multimodal logistics platform active on Belt and Road corridors overlapping with RZD Logistics' China-Russia, China-Europe, and North-South ITC services; competes for Chinese exporter volumes.
• COSCO Shipping Logistics: Global container shipping and logistics arm of COSCO with multimodal offerings across sea-rail corridors that overlap with RZD Logistics' transit and project logistics on Asia-Europe lanes.
• DB Cargo Logistics (DB Schenker): European rail and multimodal freight forwarder active on Asia-Europe land bridge corridors; competes for transit volumes between China and Europe historically routed through Russia/CIS.
• Panalpina / DSV A/S: Global freight forwarder with deep CIS presence and project logistics expertise; competes for oversized/heavy-lift and contract logistics engagements that overlap with RZD Logistics' project logistics and supply chain management services.

Direct peers

• Nurminen Logistics Services OY: Finnish rail-based logistics operator running Finland Bridge services between Asia-Pacific, Finland, and Russia; partnered with RZD Logistics but also a direct competitor for northbound European transit volumes.
• FESCO Transportation Group: Russian intermodal logistics and port operator active on the same Trans-Siberian and Asia-Europe corridors; co-developed the RailJet expedited service with RZD Logistics and is a direct competitor for container transit volumes.
• TransContainer PJSC: Russia's largest intermodal container operator and a sibling of Russian Railways historically; directly competes for 1520mm gauge container forwarding business across Eurasian corridors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/russian-railways-logistics

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Russian Railways Logistics