CargoBeamer, a leading provider of intermodal rail connections, took over operations at the Kaldenkirchen terminal in Germany in April 2026, with operational responsibility being transferred from the previous operator to CargoBeamer.
At the same time, construction work on the site expansion—which will become CargoBeamer’s first terminal in Germany—is proceeding on schedule and is being carried out alongside current operations. The first of the two expansion phases is scheduled to become operational in early 2027.
CargoBeamer has been operating an intermodal service between Italy and Germany for several years, providing a connection between Kaldenkirchen and Domodossola, Italy, and enabling the large-scale rail transport of semi-trailers that cannot be loaded by crane. With approximately 20 round-trip runs per week, this route is among the busiest in the European intermodal sector.
Currently, units are handled at the existing terminal using reachstacker equipment (heavy machinery used in intermodal terminals). With the installation of CargoBeamer technology, fully automated, horizontal transshipment of all types of semi-trailers will be possible.
This will double the terminal’s annual capacity to approximately 140,000 loading units, starting in 2027. Upon completion of the full expansion, capacity will exceed 200,000 units per year—more than three times the pre-expansion level.
The expansion of the Kaldenkirchen terminal is proceeding in parallel with operations
Construction work to convert the terminal into a facility equipped with CargoBeamer horizontal handling technology began at the end of 2025 and is on schedule. The expansion is being carried out alongside daily operations, ensuring the continuity of rail traffic for most of the construction period.
“With the expansion of the Kaldenkirchen terminal, we continue to invest in our own infrastructure as a strategic pillar of our European network. While we look forward to the opening of the first CargoBeamer terminal in Germany, the expansion of our terminal in Domodossola will follow shortly. Starting in 2027, we will connect the new terminals in Kaldenkirchen and Domodossola into a corridor with the highest frequency in the European intermodal sector, demonstrating the CargoBeamer system’s dominant position in the market,” said Nicolas Albrecht, CEO of CargoBeamer.
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