Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has announced a new weekly rail service connecting the Batajnica terminal near Belgrade directly to Trieste’s Pier VII, starting this month. Revealed on 3 November 2025, the line can move more than 70 TEU per trip and will carry automotive parts, machinery and consumer goods from Serbian manufacturers into MSC’s global maritime network via Italy.
Although primarily a freight development, the corridor strengthens Trieste’s position as a multimodal hub and expands routing options for time-critical spare-parts shipments supporting manufacturing plants in Lombardy and Veneto. For corporate-mobility teams, the service shortens door-to-door transit times by up to 36 hours compared with traditional truck routes, reducing the need for urgent staff travel to manage delayed consignments.
![MSC Launches Serbia–Trieste Rail Link, Boosting Italy’s Gateway Role to the Balkans]()
Italian customs brokers expect smoother clearance thanks to the Single Window pilot operating at the port, while Serbian exporters welcome a predictable rail schedule that avoids Alpine winter bottlenecks. Logistics managers should review Incoterms and ensure that insurance policies cover the rail-leg under a through bill of lading; early adopters may negotiate introductory haulage rates with MSC.
The new service also dovetails with EU-funded infrastructure upgrades along the Pan-European Corridor X. As rail capacity grows, mobility planners may find Trieste increasingly attractive for consolidating Central-Eastern-Europe distribution—and for relocating regional supply-chain personnel who prefer direct rail links to head-office sites in Milan.
Although primarily a freight development, the corridor strengthens Trieste’s position as a multimodal hub and expands routing options for time-critical spare-parts shipments supporting manufacturing plants in Lombardy and Veneto. For corporate-mobility teams, the service shortens door-to-door transit times by up to 36 hours compared with traditional truck routes, reducing the need for urgent staff travel to manage delayed consignments.
Italian customs brokers expect smoother clearance thanks to the Single Window pilot operating at the port, while Serbian exporters welcome a predictable rail schedule that avoids Alpine winter bottlenecks. Logistics managers should review Incoterms and ensure that insurance policies cover the rail-leg under a through bill of lading; early adopters may negotiate introductory haulage rates with MSC.
The new service also dovetails with EU-funded infrastructure upgrades along the Pan-European Corridor X. As rail capacity grows, mobility planners may find Trieste increasingly attractive for consolidating Central-Eastern-Europe distribution—and for relocating regional supply-chain personnel who prefer direct rail links to head-office sites in Milan.
