Prihláste sa na odber noviniek
Slovakia has significant potential to shift large volumes of construction bulk materials to rail.
When you pay attention to the types of trucks on Slovak roads, it’s striking how many transport construction aggregates. Highways, bridges, and tunnels are under construction, railway lines are being modernized, and concrete plants consume hundreds of truckloads of gravel and sand daily. Yet only a fraction of these potential thousands of tons is currently moved by rail.
This kind of transport is commonplace elsewhere in Europe. In countries where coal previously dominated—such as Great Britain or Poland—rail operators are now using the same wagon types once reserved for coal to haul construction materials. Slovakia has a similar opportunity, and the first forward-thinking companies have already started shipping construction materials by freight rail, proving it is both feasible and environmentally sound.
Positive Examples from ZSSK CARGO’s Operations
One early success story involves shipping gravel by rail from Sládkovičovo and Senec to Ružomberok. After being unloaded at the general loading and unloading track (VNVK) in Ružomberok, only the last few kilometers to the concrete plant were covered by truck.
A second example is cement transport. Cement is shipped by rail from Horné Sŕnie to Stožok (near Zvolen) for the construction of the R2 expressway. Once unloaded, trucks carry it a short distance to the construction site for processing.
Although these two transports are each around 250 kilometers, their positive impacts are disproportionate:
New Transport of Aggregates from Gemer
The once-thriving ore mining industry in the Gemer region is largely gone, but the area still benefits from its natural resources. ZSSK CARGO already operates a limestone aggregates service here, over a distance of just 40 kilometers by rail. In late spring 2025, a new transport service was added—after significant preparation—to demonstrate that shifting cargo from road to rail is indeed possible.
It took around 18 months of preparatory work, close coordination with the Slovak railway infrastructure manager (ŽSR), and patience from the customer’s side. The customer was forward-looking, determined to avoid harming Slovak roads or endangering other road users, and committed to moving freight in the most ecological way—by rail.
A longtime client of ZSSK CARGO, this customer already loads dolomite at the Turňa nad Bodvou station, using a dedicated loading track. Previously, ZSSK CARGO served them with smaller groups of 13 wagons added to local freight trains running through Gemer region.
Once the customer decided to expand shipments to full block trains, many processes were triggered. “Together with the client, we identified the potential to use a track on the far side of Turňa nad Bodvou station, opposite the main station building. The customer upgraded the surrounding area to facilitate loading, and we worked hand in hand with ŽSR on all technical and administrative details needed to bring this unused track back into service. In the end, all the effort paid off and the first block train was launched,” explains Renáta Ihnátová, Sales Manager for the Košice region at ZSSK CARGO.
The newly reactivated track can accommodate up to 35 wagons. Initial shipments start with 15 wagons, but the long-term goal is to load trains to their maximum capacity. “We aim to realize the full potential of about 5,000 tons per month,” says Ms. Ihnátová.
Customers vary from local Slovak clients to international buyers. The war in Ukraine has interrupted potential dolomite shipments to that country. However, once the conflict ends, demand for construction materials to rebuild war-damaged infrastructure is expected to soar. Currently, international consignments head to Hungary, where stone from the local quarry is mixed with slag—a circular-economy approach that gives this by-product a new purpose. The mixture is loaded into ZSSK CARGO’s Eas wagons and dispatched to Vác, Hungary, for processing at a cement plant.
Although electrification of the line to Moldava nad Bodvou, along with associated track closures, delayed the launch of these shipments, the significant efforts of all involved proved worthwhile. “Thanks to this shift to rail, we’ll see over 2,500 fewer trucks on the roads each year,” Ms. Ihnátová points out. “We want to thank our partners at ŽSR and, of course, our customer, who kept faith in rail transport and understood that, for the greater good, we must all work together to overcome obstacles. We need such role models in Slovakia to show what’s possible—even if the current system and bureaucracy don’t always favor rail, you can succeed with the right people and persistence.”
The Potential for Transporting Aggregates by Rail in Slovakia – with Suppliers…
Slovakia has strong prospects for more rail shipments of aggregates. Many quarries have existing rail sidings yet still favor truck transport. In many cases, 60 to 70 heavily loaded trucks pass through local villages daily. Even if quarry operators promise to repair damaged roads, it does little to mitigate dust, noise, and safety risks for residents.
Take, for example, the quarry in Ruskov, near Košice. Its parent company in Saalfelden, Austria, routinely transports goods by rail using a local siding. In Slovakia, by contrast, the same company transports exclusively by truck, despite having a rail connection at Ruskov. This pattern repeats itself at quarries throughout the country.
Loading and unloading points across Slovakia—VNVKs (station-side loading/unloading tracks)—are also underused. These tracks typically handle wood or scrap, but, following Poland’s example or that of Ružomberok, they can be adapted for efficient aggregates transshipment.
When quarries aren’t located directly on the main line, it’s enough to truck the material a short distance to the station, as is done in Turňa nad Bodvou. From there, it’s transferred into rail wagons for the longer leg of the journey. For instance, aggregates required for the ongoing reconstruction of the railway junction in Žilina are shipped from the loading track in Kráľova Lehota (Liptov).
…and Also Customers
Demand from customers can further boost rail shipments. Many concrete plants and precast factories once had sidings, now often inactive (e.g., in Sučany, Liptovská Teplá, etc.). Ideally, materials load and unload via these sidings, letting producers diversify their sources of aggregate.
ZSSK CARGO provides wagons, operates sidings, and handles entire block trains; it also manages group and individual wagon shipments, integrated into local mixed freight trains crossing Slovakia daily. These trains have the capacity to carry additional wagons at any time.
As demonstrated in Ružomberok, even brand-new concrete plants and aggregate suppliers without direct rail access can use the country’s broad network of station-side loading/unloading tracks.
How to Transport Aggregates by Rail
Where gravity discharge is possible—such as for track ballast—the ideal choice is ZSSK CARGO’s Faccs wagons, which unload by gravity. For other scenarios, E-type wagons (Es, Eas, Eanos, or Eamos) are available.
Following declines in coal and iron ore, ZSSK CARGO has ample E-type wagons on hand. These are now frequently used for wood or scrap, but they also excel at transporting gravel and sand.
5 Reasons to Transport Gravel and Sand in Slovakia by Rail
What to Do if You Want to Transport Aggregates by Rail
Gravel is categorized under building materials, managed by Sales Manager Mr. Jozef Cenký and his team. Feel free to reach out if you want to transport construction materials in an eco-friendly manner:
Alternatively, contact one of the three regional sales managers for western, central, or eastern Slovakia. Find their details at:
https://zscargo.sk/en/contacts/sales-managers.
