UIP Keepers’ Summit: Europe Wants More Freight on Rail, but the Numbers Tell a Different Story

European freight rail has spent years fighting for a stronger market share. Poland is turning into a giant construction site, while experts are calling for deeper digitalisation and an end to Excel’s dominance.

Europe’s freight rail sector finds itself trapped in a paradox. While industry conferences continue to promote the urgent shift of cargo from roads to rail, the reality in 2026 looks very different. At this year’s UIP Keepers’ Summit, organised by UIP, that growing disconnect became one of the central themes of the event.

Why Is Freight Rail Losing Momentum?

Newly elected UIP President Peter Reinshagen did not hide his disappointment with the current state of freight rail during his opening speech. According to him, political declarations linked to the European Green Deal envisioned rail freight reaching a 30% market share by 2030.

"Based on these targets, massive investments were made into rolling stock, particularly by leasing companies. However, most of that money today is nowhere near as profitable as shareholders expected," Reinshagen stated.

Instead of the ambitious 30%, rail freight’s current market share remains below 18%. According to Reinshagen, the problem is not only the economic slowdown, but also the catastrophic state of infrastructure across Europe.

Reinshagen also warned against protectionist tendencies among individual countries that undermine the single European market. He pointed to specific Swiss measures concerning freight wagons, which UIP was forced to actively oppose. "We must defend ourselves against unilateral measures introduced by individual countries because they obstruct the free movement of goods," he stressed, adding that closer cooperation between associations in Brussels remains the only viable path forward.

Poland Becomes Europe’s Largest Construction Site

While much of Central Europe continues to hesitate, Poland is experiencing an unprecedented rail infrastructure boom. Marita Szustak, CEO of the Polish Chamber of Land Transport, confirmed that the country has effectively transformed into one enormous construction site.

Historical context remains crucial. In the 1990s, Poland’s rail infrastructure was in extremely poor condition, pushing many companies towards road transport construction instead. Today, the situation is reversing.

"Infrastructure in Poland looks promising, although I do have concerns about logistics, especially regarding the transport of bulk construction materials," Szustak noted.

Adrian Furgalski from Railway Business Forum revealed that last year’s tenders reached an astonishing 89 billion zlotys (approximately EUR 21 billion). According to Furgalski, Poland still struggles with insufficient funding in the rail fund compared to the road fund. However, stable ticket prices have led to record passenger numbers using trains, creating additional pressure to improve freight services as well.

Billions in Investment, but Bureaucracy Remains a Major Burden

Although EU funding programmes such as FEnIKS and the National Recovery Plan provide significant financing opportunities, implementation processes continue to collide with harsh bureaucratic realities.

Sylwia Cieślak-Wilk and Agnieszka Lewocka pointed out that one billion zlotys (around EUR 236 million) had been allocated specifically for rail projects. Despite this, the sector remains paralysed by what speakers described as the “bureaucratic diseases” of the modern era.

"The main problems are lengthy project documentation procedures, endless appeals during tenders and the concentration of too many contracts within the same period, which drives prices upwards," explained Cieślak-Wilk. Additional complications include shortages of semi-finished materials and design conflicts that further increase costs and delay projects.

ERTMS: A Billion-Euro Trap for Wagon Leasing Companies?

One of the most controversial topics at the summit was the deployment of ERTMS. While the concept of a unified European signalling system is theoretically correct, summit participants argued that its implementation has been deeply flawed.

"ERTMS is a brilliant idea, but it has been implemented in the worst possible way. It was introduced without consultation with the industry," said Łukasz Boroń, CEO of CARGOUNIT, during a panel discussion.

Criticism focused particularly on constantly changing system versions and the enormous retrofitting costs required for older rolling stock. Boroń subsequently called on the industry to speak up in Brussels before additional poorly designed regulations are approved.

Rail as a Pillar of Security and Defence

The geopolitical situation — particularly Russian war in Ukraine — has dramatically changed perceptions of rail’s strategic importance. Maciej Gładyga, President of ERFA, stressed that Europe needs a transport network that is resilient and independent from external actors.

A key role is currently played by the Port of Gdańsk, which has become the most important hub for Ukrainian exports and imports. Its strategic relevance is expected to increase even further in the coming years.

An especially important topic was the so-called dual-use role of railways for both civilian logistics and military mobility. Łukasz Grzesło from PKP Cargo International confirmed that transporting tanks, medical supplies and strategic raw materials must become a priority. "We have flat wagons for transporting tanks that are identical to those used for steel plates, most commonly heading to Ostrava," Grzesło explained.

The End of the Excel Era and the Rise of Intermodality

Intermodal transport is widely viewed as the future of freight logistics, but many companies continue to struggle with outdated communication systems and weak digital integration.

Joanna Goździk from Clip Group described the current situation bluntly: "Imagine a terminal as one giant Excel spreadsheet. We are still struggling to integrate data into a single system because Excel continues to dominate communication."

Beyond digitalisation, participants also highlighted the need for greener terminals. One major priority is terminal electrification, which would eliminate the need to replace electric locomotives with diesel shunting engines — something Goździk described as a “major time-saving measure”.

Dawid Chojnowski from PCC Intermodal added that railways remain the bottleneck of the wider logistics chain due to insufficient track capacity, much of which has barely changed over the last century.

Women Driving Change Across the Railway Sector

Speakers at this year’s UIP Keepers’ Summit agreed that European rail freight faces enormous challenges in the coming years. Nevertheless, the event concluded on a positive note thanks to a final panel featuring representatives from Women in Rail, who highlighted the growing role of women across the industry.

According to Agnieszka Grzeslowska and Agnieszka Lewocka, railways are no longer an exclusively male environment. Female operators, welders, managers and executives are increasingly reshaping the industry. "If rail is meant to represent the future of transport, then it must also embrace a future that is more diverse," Grzeslowska stated.

The strong presence of women both on stage and among attendees at this year’s summit demonstrated that, at least in this regard, European rail is moving in the right direction. According to Magdalena Białek from Eurowagon, closer cooperation and stronger industry associations will also be essential for the future of the sector. "None of us wants destructive competition," she concluded.