Rail Logistics Europe

What Rail Logistics Europe does

Rail Logistics Europe (RLE) is a Paris-headquartered rail freight logistics group and wholly-owned subsidiary of SNCF Group, formed through the November 2024 spin-off of Fret SNCF and operational restructuring into a holding of six specialized brands: Hexafret (national wagonload), Captrain (European freight rail), Forwardis (digital rail freight forwarding), Naviland Cargo (combined transport), VIIA (accompanied road-rail transport via Modalohr horizontal loading) and Technis (locomotive and wagon maintenance). The group serves industrial shippers, logistics providers, public-sector clients and e-commerce platforms across 13 European countries, employing 9,270 staff.

RLE's technical backbone combines a captive rolling-stock maintenance network of 11 workshops (including Quincieux, Woippy, Hausbergen and Modane), a fleet of around 5,300 combined-transport wagons, proprietary Modalohr horizontal-loading assets, and a 20-agency Naviland Cargo footprint spanning five countries. The Modalohr system — highway trailers loaded laterally onto rail wagons — underpins accompanied intermodal services used by customers such as Amazon France, and the workshop network under Technis delivers Levels 2–4 maintenance including predictive work on third-party locomotives via partners such as RAILPOOL. Together these assets enable cross-border coordination, with active flows touching France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the UK and Eastern European grain corridors.

The business model is industrial B2B rail logistics revenue, organized by service line under distinct brands while increasingly packaged through RLE Solutions (launched March 2025) as a one-stop-shop. Revenue is generated through wagonload freight contracts (Hexafret, Captrain), digital forwarding brokerage (Forwardis), combined/intermodal transport tariffs (Naviland Cargo, VIIA), and third-party maintenance services (Technis). Management has stated a 2025 revenue target of approximately €1.9 billion, with 66% of revenue aligned with the European green taxonomy — a positioning the group formalized in its May 2026 CSRD-aligned CSR report.

Name

Rail Logistics Europe

Legal name

Rail Logistics Europe, société par actions simplifiée

Website

https://rle-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Rail Logistics Europe is a Paris-based rail freight logistics group and SNCF subsidiary operating six brands (Hexafret, Captrain, Forwardis, Naviland Cargo, VIIA, Technis) across 13 European countries. It serves industrial shippers, public authorities and e-commerce platforms with wagonload, combined transport, forwarding and rolling-stock maintenance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Freight Logistics Services

NAICS

Line-Haul Railroads (482111), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border Rail Freight Operators (International Corridors) (TLADACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Unit Train & Dedicated Contract Rail Services (TLADACAK), Domestic Rail Freight Forwarding (TLACADAA), Rail Bulk Commodities Forwarding (Grain, Minerals, Coal, Chemicals) (TLACADAI)

Keywords

• Rail freight transport
• Multimodal logistics
• Combined rail-road transport
• Locomotive maintenance services
• Freight forwarding rail

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Rail Freight Operations: Rail freight transport services through Hexafret (wagon groupage) and Captrain network across Europe, generating the majority of group revenue with a 2025 sales target of approximately €1.9 billion.
2. Combined Rail-Road Transport: Multimodal transport services through Naviland Cargo (container and UTI transport) and VIIA (rail motorway for semi-trailers), complementing rail with road for first/last mile delivery.
3. Locomotive Maintenance: Technis provides preventive, corrective, and specialized locomotive maintenance services across a network of workshops and mobile teams, serving operators, lessors, and manufacturers.
4. Freight Forwarding: Forwardis organizes door-to-door rail, river and multimodal transport solutions for shippers, managing all resources and administrative formalities across corridors from Spain to China.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rail Logistics Europe provides rail freight transport, combined rail-road multimodal transport, freight forwarding, and locomotive maintenance services across 13 European countries through six complementary brands (Hexafret, Captrain, Forwardis, Naviland Cargo, VIIA, and Technis). The group serves industrial companies, shippers, logistics providers, and rail operators with end-to-end decarbonized logistics solutions, leveraging Modalohr horizontal loading technology and an 11-workshop locomotive maintenance network.

Product overview

Rail Logistics Europe is a rail logistics group consisting of a holding company and 6 complementary brands: Hexafret (wagon groupage rail operator), Captrain (European rail freight network), Forwardis (freight forwarder), Naviland Cargo (combined transport for maritime containers), VIIA (rail highway operator for semi-trailers), and Technis (locomotive maintenance). The group also offers RLE Solutions as a one-stop-shop service for decarbonized transport projects. Together, these entities provide comprehensive rail freight, multimodal transport, freight forwarding, and locomotive maintenance services across Europe, with a focus on decarbonization and modal shift from road to rail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hexafret: Rail freight operator specializing in wagon groupage in France
• Captrain
• Forwardis
• Naviland Cargo
• VIIA
• Technis
• RLE Solutions

Products and services

• Hexafret Rail Freight Operations Rail freight operator offering wagon groupage transport solutions in France, connecting France to Europe with transport offerings adapted to specific sectors and customer needs.
• Captrain European Rail Freight Network European network of connected rail companies offering dedicated, customized freight transport solutions across Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and France for high-volume regular shipments.
• Forwardis Freight Forwarding Freight forwarding service organizing customized rail and multimodal transport with end-to-end logistics follow-up, covering corridors from Spain to China.
• Naviland Cargo Combined Transport Combined transport operator offering complete transport services for maritime containers, mobile boxes, or tanks across Europe, integrating rail, road, and river modes through 20 agencies in France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain.
• VIIA Rail Motorway Rail motorway operator exploiting trains loaded with unaccompanied semi-trailers via rail highway lines crossing France and extending to Poland, enabling placement of semi-trailers on trains within 24 hours.
• Technis Locomotive Maintenance Locomotive maintenance company offering preventive, corrective, and specialized maintenance services for the entire rail freight market through a network of 11 workshops along French freight corridors and mobile teams within a 2-hour radius, leveraging expertise of 500 employees.
• RLE Solutions One-Stop-Shop One-stop-shop service that serves as a dedicated single point of contact for shippers and industrial companies across Europe seeking to implement rail freight and multimodal transport solutions for supply chain decarbonization.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.4 million tonnes of CO₂e avoided for customers in 2025 through modal shift
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• ScandFibre Logistics (SFL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Forwardis, RLE's freight forwarding subsidiary, was selected by ScandFibre Logistics to operate the international Rail27 service from mid-December 2026. Forwardis will handle all operational aspects of the international rail service.
• RAILPOOLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2025RAILPOOL, a locomotive leasing company, entered into an agreement with Technis for the maintenance of BR 188 locomotives in France. The partnership followed a competitive tender process including documentary and safety audits, and a real-life maintenance test at the Thionville workshop. A multi-year commercial contract is expected to be formalized by end of 2025, with first locomotives arriving in early 2026.
• Amazon FrancenotableGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 March 2025Amazon France participated alongside RLE at the World Impact Summit in Bordeaux, discussing cooperation between different transport modes and the role of rail freight in sustainable logistics. Amazon France uses VIIA rail motorways for its freight transport.
• Île-de-France MobilitésnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerRLE coordinated the rail transport of 30 donated buses from Île-de-France Mobilités to Ukraine (Kyiv and Chernihiv regions) in December 2025, as part of a planned donation of 400 buses by 2026. Six RLE railway companies were mobilized for this humanitarian operation.
• SeatruckcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNaviland Cargo acquired Seatruck, now operating under the brand 'Seatruck by Naviland Cargo.' This acquisition expanded Naviland Cargo's network from 70 to 130 charterers, 20 agencies (16 in France, 4 abroad), and added €55 million in revenue, bringing total revenue to over €135 million.
• Ukrainian RailwaysnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian Railways orchestrated the continuation of the humanitarian bus transport convoy from the Polish border to Kyiv, coordinating with RLE's European railway companies.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SBB Cargo: Swiss Federal Railways' freight subsidiary offering national and cross-border rail freight and combined transport in Switzerland and neighboring markets. Directly comparable as another state-owned, European cross-border rail freight operator of similar scale.
• Lineas: Belgium's largest private rail freight operator, providing freight traction, combined transport, and rail-related services across Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Directly comparable to RLE's Captrain and Hexafret operations in the Benelux-French-German corridor, with a contrasting private ownership structure.
• Mercitalia: Italian state-owned rail freight and logistics group operating multiple subsidiaries across freight rail, intermodal, and logistics services in Italy and southern Europe. Directly comparable to RLE as a state-owned, multi-brand European rail freight operator focused on Mediterranean and cross-border traffic.
• ÖBB Rail Cargo Group: Austrian Federal Railways' freight division operating across Europe with full rail freight, combined transport, and forwarding services. Directly comparable to RLE as a state-owned, pan-European rail logistics group with similar cross-border corridor focus.
• CFL Cargo: Luxembourg-based rail freight operator jointly owned by CFL and DB Cargo, providing international cross-border rail freight services across Belgium, France, Germany, and beyond. Directly comparable to RLE for cross-border freight on western European corridors and via Bettembourg, a key RLE rail motorway terminus.
• PKP Cargo: Poland's state-owned rail freight operator and one of the largest in the EU, providing line-haul rail freight and intermodal services across Central and Eastern Europe. Directly comparable to RLE for cross-border traffic involving Poland and for its state-owned, multi-subsidiary structure.
• RTB Cargo: European private rail freight group operating in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy with rail freight, intermodal, and forwarding services. Directly comparable as a privately owned pan-European rail freight operator competing on similar western European corridors.
• DB Cargo: Deutsche Bahn's freight rail subsidiary and Europe's largest rail freight operator, providing line-haul freight, combined transport, and end-to-end logistics across Germany and continental Europe. Directly comparable to RLE in scope, geographic footprint, and integrated service offering, with comparable regulatory exposure to EU competition authorities.

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne+Nagel: Global freight forwarder and logistics integrator with substantial rail, intermodal, and overland capabilities across Europe. Comparable to Forwardis and RLE Solutions as a large incumbent in multimodal freight arrangement, but operates as a forwarder rather than a rail operator.

Others

• GATX: Global railcar leasing and maintenance company providing tank and freight car leasing, fleet management, and rail maintenance services across Europe and North America. Comparable to Technis in rail maintenance and to RLE's broader fleet-leasing ecosystem, but as an enabler/supplier rather than a direct rail freight competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/technis-rle

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Rail Logistics Europe