The Port of Trieste and Slovakia are strengthening their economic ties through the increase of rail connections. Since 2016, the year the first direct trains began operating towards Dunajská Streda, freight traffic along this route has been on a constant rise, with over 400 trains operated in 2023 and about 27,500 TEUs handled. The goal is to maintain this trend through the end of 2024, despite the global challenges posed by geopolitical crises that marked the first part of the year. During the meeting titled "Port of Trieste-Slovakia: Economic Relations and Opportunities," held on November 15, 2024, at Torre del Lloyd—the headquarters of the Eastern Adriatic Sea Port System Authority—the latest data on rail traffic was presented. The event featured participation from institutional, economic, and industrial representatives from both nations, focusing on consolidating trade relations and exploring opportunities tied to boosting rail links between the Port of Trieste and Slovakia.
The rail connection between Trieste and key Slovakian destinations, namely Dunajská Streda and Bratislava, currently offers three and two weekly rotations, respectively. In the coming months, significant upgrades are planned, aiming to reach 500 trains in 2025—tripling the number of convoys compared to 2017, when around 150 were operated. According to Vittorio Torbianelli, Special Commissioner of the Eastern Adriatic Sea Port System Authority, "The enhancement of the rail service between Trieste and Slovakia is not just an increase in freight transport numbers; it represents a strategic element for strengthening the logistical and economic relations between the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and a country that is already an important reference market for our system. Today's event is a positive signal in this direction. Looking ahead, we must also consider Slovakia's role as a connection path to Ukraine."
Antonio Gurrieri, CEO of Alpe Adria, a major operator in intermodal connections to and from the Port of Trieste, also emphasized the importance of this growth: "With nearly six thousand trains operated annually, Alpe Adria is reaffirming its role as a key player in the European intermodal sector, with a network of connections recently extending to Northern Europe, finding its closest reference market in Central Europe. There is a positive forecast for volume growth towards Slovakia in 2025, and we will continue working in this direction to develop and strengthen this corridor."
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from institutions and industry operators to foster the development of relations between the Port of Trieste, the logistics and production platform of Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Slovakia, "in a context that also includes a potential role in the future reconstruction of Ukraine," the event's participants highlighted.
