January is the perfect time to review what happened in the previous year and understand where intermodal transport in Italy and Europe is heading. The year 2025 was rich in signals—some positive, others more critical—but all useful for defining what will be essential in 2026.
Intermodal logistics today is called to face complex challenges involving technology, regulation, infrastructure and corporate culture. In this context, digital tools such as PortaleGenio and its WebApp are increasingly playing an important role in supporting the shift from “road‑only” logic towards a more sustainable and multimodal vision, combining rail, sea and road in an efficient way.Top 5 Milestones of 2025
- Intermodal Europe 2025
The flagship event placed digitalisation, resilience and sustainability at the heart of global supply‑chain conversations. It confirmed intermodality’s central role in new logistics models.
- Strengthened Incentives in Italy
Italy’s 2025 Budget Law introduced renewed funding for combined transport incentives, including the Ferrobonus, signalling increased institutional attention to modal rebalancing.
- FerMerci Report and 2025 Data
The Italian rail freight sector showed slow but visible progress. The rail share remains below the European average, yet the market is showing greater openness to intermodality.
- Withdrawal of the EU Combined‑Transport Directive Proposal
The European Commission withdrew the revision proposal for the Combined Transport Directive, raising concerns and slowing a regulatory alignment crucial for sector development.
- Launch of New Infrastructure Projects in Italy
Initiatives such as the “Incoronata” logistics rail hub in Foggia represent a key step towards enhancing the intermodal capacity of Southern Italy and strengthening the national network.
What to Focus on in 2026: Six Operational Priorities
- Advanced Digitalisation and Data Analytics
Tools like PortaleGenio help companies and operators visualise, analyse and simulate intermodal routes, enabling immediate optimisation of alternative and sustainable paths.
- Speeding Up Modal Rebalancing
The transition from road to rail must be acted upon structurally—improving rail access, bolstering terminals and incentivising modality combination. Terminals should become strategic connection nodes.
- Environmental Sustainability at the Core
Measuring and communicating CO₂ reductions and making them operational practice is crucial. Intermodal solutions are now among the most effective options to reduce transportation’s environmental impact.
- Clear Regulation and Strong Governance
2025 showed how regulatory uncertainty can hinder growth. In 2026, intermodality must be supported by stable policy frameworks and recognition of terminals’ strategic role in the logistics chain.
- Infrastructure Resilience and Interoperability
With major works along Europe’s corridors underway, ensuring service continuity, infrastructure interoperability and alternative routing is crucial in 2026.
- Culture of Intermodality and Training
The transition is not only technical but cultural. Many companies still rely heavily on road transport. 2026 must be the year where intermodality becomes the norm. Tools like PortaleGenio, with over 1,000 companies already mapped in its WebApp, offer valuable support for training and networking.
Conclusion and New Year Wishes
The year 2026 will be a strategic one for intermodality. The foundations were laid in 2025, but now it’s time to build, scale and consolidate. PortaleGenio remains committed to offering an ecosystem of knowledge, simulation and up‑to‑date data to support every operator in multimodal logistics.
The entire PortaleGenio team wishes you a prosperous and green logistic year—may 2026 bring smoother connections, greener loads and smarter transport solutions.
Here’s to the intermodality of the future—together.
Sources Consulted:
- Intermodal Europe 2025 – Official website
- Rivista TIR – Incentives for intermodal transport in Italy
- FerMerci – 2025 Annual Report
- TrasportoEuropa – Withdrawal of the EU Combined Transport Directive
- ASI Foggia – Launch of the “Incoronata” logistics hub
ERA – 2025 Annual Overview on Railway Interoperability