Metrans improves connection to Turkey

Metrans, the rail subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), is the first company to serve the Halkali terminal in Istanbul, thereby improving its connection to the strong economic region of Istanbul.

Since the beginning of the year, Metrans has been covering the route between its own hub terminal in Dunajska Streda, Slovakia, and the Halkali terminal in Istanbul, three times a week. It is the first rail company to do so. The Halkali terminal is within the city of Istanbul, making it a considerably more conventient option than the terminal in Cerkezkoy, which Metrans had previously called at. Initial figures show that by using the Istanbul-Halkali terminal, Metrans can offer its customers significantly shorter transit times.

Peter Kiss, Managing Director of Metrans Danubia a.s., on serving the Halkali terminal: “By including Halkali in our network, we are strengthening the connection to the economic metropolis of Istanbul. Halkali is also the central hub between Central and Eastern Europe and the Asian part of Turkey. This enables us to further improve our services for customers who have cargo going to and from the Asian part of Turkey. We guarantee our customers transit times of 4.5 days. That means a day gained for exports, and two days for imports into Turkey.”

According to preliminary, as yet unaudited figures, HHLA’s railway companies transported approximately 1.0 million standard containers (TEU) in 2015. This represents an increase in the transport volume of more than five percent on the previous year’s strong figure. HHLA will present the final figures for the 2015 financial year at the financial press conference on 30 March 2016.