Italy's rail freight sector has seen a notable decline in activity, with the number of trains handled falling from 384,863 in 2021 to 329,388 in 2025. This reduction of 55,475 trains, or 14.4%, over a four-year period, indicates a significant contraction in rail transport volumes within the country.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, this trend in Italy suggests potential shifts in inland transport options and capacity. Reduced rail traffic could lead to increased reliance on road transport for certain routes, potentially affecting lead times, costs, and environmental footprints. Forwarders may need to re-evaluate their multimodal strategies for shipments involving Italy, considering the diminished rail capacity and exploring alternative routing or modes to maintain supply chain efficiency and reliability.
