New rail service between Belgium and France
Belgium's Lineas and DFDS are joining forces to transport containers and trailers from the port of Gothenburg via Ghent at North Sea Port on rail to Lyon - and vice versa. It will create a connection between Sweden, Belgium, and France.
Updated: 26 February 2026 | Published: 21 March 2023
Ghent/B
2 min read
Connection with shortsea service to Gothenburg
DFDS transports cargo between the port of Gothenburg six times a week and its terminal at Ghent's Sifferdok. This short sea service now connects with the intermodal train between Ghent and the Port Edouard Hérriot in Lyon. At the start, this train from Europe's largest private rail freight operator, Lineas, runs three times a week. Starting in June, the frequency will be increased to five trips weekly.
450 trains per year
The shift of this cargo transport from road to rail between Ghent and the important industrial region of Lyon accounts for 450 trains per year and 800 trailers/containers.
Multimodal port North Sea Port
North Sea Port continues building on a sustainable multimodal port with this low-emission rail freight. "With the combined transport between Gothenburg, Ghent and Lyon, North Sea Port manages further to strengthen itself as a multimodal port in Western Europe," said Daan Schalck, CEO of North Sea Port. Especially since cargo arrives in Ghent by road, seagoing vessel and barge from Antwerp, Rotterdam and Moerdijk.
About Lineas Lineas is Europe's largest private rail freight operator with 2,000 employees helping customers decarbonize their supply chain with green rail freight every day. With international freight trains that emit 90% less CO2 than trucks, Lineas aims to make a significant contribution to its climate ambition. The company is headquartered in Brussels and has local teams and sites in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain. www.lineas.net
About North Sea Port North Sea Port is the 60-kilometer-long cross-border port area stretching from Vlissingen in the Netherlands on the North Sea, across Terneuzen to Ghent in Belgium - 32 kilometres inland in Belgium. A central hub in Western Europe, the port represents multimodal transport (maritime, inland waterway, rail, truck, and pipeline) and a multitude of cargo types. North Sea Port is the number three European port with 12.6 billion euros of added value. In terms of cargo handling, with 73.6 million tons, it ranks tenth among ports in Europe. The port area has 550 companies and creates (in)direct employment for 102,000 people. www.northseaport.com
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