EU-Projekt FLAVIA

From HGV to goods trains: Best Practice Examples from Seven Countries

The aim of the FLAVIA project is to improve intermodal freight transport logistics between central and southeastern Europe, while at the same time strengthening the environmentally friendly modes of transport rail and inland waterways. Switching road freight to these greener transport modes will provide relief for the roads and improve the accessibility of the regions in central and southeastern Europe.

FLAVIA will contribute towards better exploiting the potential in Europe's rail freight sector. The fact that this potential exists can be seen by comparing the market share of rail freight in countries such as the USA, Russia or Australia, where the goods train is the most important mode of transport in the freight transport market.

One of FLAVIA's main tasks is to use examples of modal shift Best Practice to demonstrate how the railways can be successfully integrated into the logistics process, saving costs and resources.

The project will collect and present success stories from companies that have in recent years shifted their logistics processes from trucks to trains. These examples of modal shift will come from seven European countries and from different sectors of industry. They will serve other companies as models and help them in their decision making processes.

The role of the Pro-Rail Alliance

The Pro-Rail Alliance will support the process of collecting and disseminating the examples of Best Practice modal shifts. The Pro-Rail Alliance will additionally help the partner countries in the FLAVIA project to set up their own broad pro railway alliances. The project aims to raise awareness among politicians about the business and competitive environments that are needed for eco-friendly rail transport to be successful.

The FLAVIA Project: Who, Where and When?

Fifteen partners from seven countries are collaborating on the project. The cooperating partners are universities, companies and organizations from Germany, Austria, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Rumania. Another eight associate partners are supporting the project. It is being coordinated by Professor Herbert Sonntag, who teaches Transport Logistics at the Technical University of Applied Sciences.

The project began on March 1, 2010 and is scheduled to last 36 months. The kick-off meeting took place on March 18 and 19 2010 in Wildau.

Additional information on the EU project FLAVIA

Jolanta Skalska
Head EU projects

ph +49 30 24 62 599 61
fax +49 30 24 62 599 29