Road or rail transport?

On balance, we cannot consider that one method is better than the other, as it will depend on the specific characteristics and our objectives. In this post we take stock of the pros and cons of road and rail transport to help you decide which service best suits your needs.

Road freight transport

Road freight transport is the world's preferred method of transport. Although it does not move the most tonnes.

Its flexibility and the possibility of door-to-door delivery help to explain its success. Moreover, it is a method that allows any type of goods to be shipped. From small express shipments to full loads.

Advantages of road transport

The advantages of road freight transport include the following:

• The wide network of routes and highways makes this method of transport the one with the greatest coverage, especially for short distances.
• It is a more economical method because it does not require external infrastructure like rail.
• It is more flexible, adapts better to different types of journeys, conditions and is more suitable for small or urgent shipments.
• It offers more safety and security guarantees for dangerous goods or refrigerated cargo.
• It allows direct shipments between the customer and the final destination, without using more intermediaries.
• Digitalisation in the tracking of goods in real time is more advanced than in rail.

Disadvantages of road transport

The main disadvantages of road freight transport are:

• Trucks have less loading capacity than the freight train, so it can be limited in large shipments.
• The environmental pollution of road transport is greater than rail transport. At this point it should be noted that more sustainable alternatives, such as electric trucks, are beginning to be used.
• The risk of an accident is higher than in rail transport.
• If the state of the roads is affected by external conditions, delays are more likely to occur.

Freight transport by rail

Rail transport is another of the most widely used modes of transport, although it is a long way behind road transport, as it requires its own infrastructure. On the other hand, it is an efficient and less polluting method.

Advantages of rail transport

Among the advantages of rail freight transport, we can highlight the following:

• Rail is particularly suitable for large volumes or very heavy loads.
• The consumption of fuel and resources is lower, making it more efficient and sustainable.
• Final freight costs are reduced over long distances.
• The risk of delays, accidents or loss is lower than in road freight transport.

Disadvantages of rail transport

On the other hand, we must also consider the disadvantages of rail freight transport:

• It works less well for small parcels or urgent shipments, as it is less flexible.
• It depends on public infrastructure, which reduces its coverage, especially for medium and short distance shipments.
• Cannot ship directly from customer to final destination or door-to-door. It is always necessary to complement the shipment with trucks.

A third alternative: intermodal or multimodal transport

In certain circumstances, it may be advisable to alternate the transport of goods by road with rail transport. This is because lorries are more flexible and better suited to smaller or urgent deliveries. And that rail is more efficient and works well with large loads. We can take advantage of the benefits of both methods by creating routes in which we combine both alternatives, this is known as intermodal or multimodal transport.

Which transport method to choose?

After making this comparison between the two modes of transport, we can conclude that road transport is cheaper than rail transport for medium distances. Rail is cheaper for longer distances. Depending on conditioning factors such as the amount of cargo, the urgency of delivery, etc., one mode of transport or the other may be more appropriate.

In conclusion, we should not limit ourselves to selecting one method over the other, but adapt to the circumstances at any given time. Likewise, intermodal transport can allow us to take advantage of the benefits of both methods.