ÖBB Rail Cargo Group has warned that EU-Türkiye rail freight will effectively stop for months starting in early 2027, as Serbia and Romania prepare overlapping infrastructure closures that block both corridors the operator uses to reach the bloc.

What are the two closures?

Serbia will close the Niš–Dimitrovgrad line for 200 days from autumn 2026 to digitalise and electrify the only non-electrified section between the Bulgarian-Turkish border and the EU. Romania will close the Giurgiu Nord–Ruse cross-border section to Bulgaria for ten months from February 2027.

Why does the overlap matter?

RCG runs block trains through Serbia via Bulgaria and intermodal trains through Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. With both routes closed simultaneously, no trains will reach the EU.

"This is critical – not only for RCG but for rail freight in general. If both closures are happening at the same time, we need to stop all trains to Serbia and Europe," RCG representatives told RailFreight.com.

The Turkish branch of Austria's state freight operator also questions the level of international coordination. RCG says Romania and Serbia "do not consider the concerns" of operators enough. Both countries receive EU funds tied to completion deadlines, leaving operators to absorb the disruption.

Will capacity actually improve afterwards?

Current transit from Türkiye to Serbia already runs on a three-day schedule without delays, RCG notes. The operator doubts that post-works speeds will change at all.

The Kapıkule yard upgrade shows the risk. Türkiye added eight tracks for a total of 25, but early works cut daily departures from ten to six or seven — a 30–40% capacity drop. Bulgaria still offers only ten tracks, so trains continue to queue.

Where are the remaining bottlenecks?

The Marmaray tunnel under the Bosphorus permits only four or five trains per night. RCG expects the INRAIL project to relieve this: a bridge north of Istanbul is to carry a railway track within five years, lifting capacity across the strait to 50 million tonnes.

The Istanbul bypass is backed by multi-billion-euro commitments from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other institutions.

What does rail have to compete with?

Trucks. RCG says Türkiye hosts Europe's youngest truck fleet, with an average vehicle age of two years. A road haulage run to Hungary takes three days; rail freight currently matches that on the Serbia corridor.

"If we cannot cross Romania or Serbia, or if we take ten days to reach Hungary, then no one will sign up for that," RCG says. Trucks could become both faster and cheaper if rail conditions worsen.

The operator frames its position as a call for parity. "We will continue to fight for a higher modal share for rail," RCG representatives say. "That means convincing the client that we can do it better, against better rates."

What happens next?

Romania and Serbia must still finalise construction timelines, and bilateral coordination with Türkiye and Bulgaria could shift the start dates. With completion deadlines attached to EU funding, the window for rescheduling is narrow, and RCG expects the simultaneous closures to begin as currently scheduled.