Slovakia Remains in Motion! Thanks to ZSSK CARGO.

The daily life and mobility of millions of people in Slovakia would be hard to imagine without the regular supply of petrol and diesel to distribution centres.

When we put the fuel gun in the mouth of our car's tank, few of us think about the journey the fuel took before it was stored in the underground tanks of the petrol station. On the last kilometres or near the refineries, trucks have to provide their part of the logistics. However, in Slovakia, you can rely on supplies from ZSSK CARGO trains in places that are further from their refinery.

From the Bratislava Refinery to the Distribution Centres

While there is a lot of talk about the negative impact of transport emissions, there is almost no mention of an efficient fuel distribution logistics chain that other industries could take an example from. It makes maximum use of the advantages of all types of transport: where possible, raw materials and products go through pipelines. Rail transport is used for long distances. The last mile distribution to many distribution points up to a distance of approximately 200 km is provided by road transport.

In Slovakia, from the largest Slovak refinery in Bratislava, fuels are transported to the west of the country directly by trucks. Elsewhere, distribution centres serve this purpose. One is located in Stožok near Zvolen, where a pipeline leads from the refinery. Fuel is pumped from local storage tanks into unit trains, which regularly depart along the southern railway branch to Kapušany near Prešov. ZSSK CARGO deploys its wagons and traction for this service. Dual traction of the Class 756 locomotives regularly depart from Stožok to pull the loaded train along the non-electrified part of the track. The baton will then be taken over by one of the electric twin locomotives of Class 131 to pass the baton again to diesel traction, which will pull the load to the distribution centre for the east of the republic on the final section of the route.

There are also direct trains from Bratislava to the east of Slovakia. In fully electric traction, they use the main route through Slovakia either to Kapušany or to the second storage facility in Trebišov. This, in the case of fuels declared from crude oil without Russian origin, is also used to supply Ukraine with fuel.

From Bohemia to the South and East of Slovakia

The Polish producer of fuels and the current number four on the Slovak market significantly strengthened its position during the past year with the ambition of becoming the second strongest player in fuels in the country. The Slovak market is supplied from its Czech refinery. It uses two distribution centres for this: one in southwestern Slovakia and the other in the east. Up to four unit trains with fuel arrive in the east of Slovakia per week.

Western and central Slovakia is covered by the distribution centre in the southwestern Slovakia. ZSSK CARGO also ensures the delivery of trains to the siding of the distribution centre as part of its comprehensive service including siding services.

Fuels Also in Groups of Wagons

Fuels do not reach distribution centres only in unit trains. The only full-network freight rail carrier in Slovakia, ZSSK CARGO, can also cover supply using groups of wagons with its services. This is the case with the distribution warehouse in northeastern Slovakia. At the station where the unit train ends, the load from the main line is diverted to the local branch line, to the place of the distribution warehouse. The local freight train, usually led by diesel locomotives of Class 731, not only serves the local wood sidings or supplies the local farm siding with individual tank wagons with fertilizers. A significant part of its workload consists of groups of up to 9 wagons with fuel, which it shunts on the siding of the distribution warehouse.

Customers of ZSSK CARGO, as well as all people in Slovakia, can therefore rely on the fact that the country's mobility will always be ensured. Children will get to school by bus in the morning, shops will be stocked with food, farmers will go to the fields with tractors, road workers will be able to clear roads, delivery services will bring ordered packages and everyone will be able to go to work, leisure and family visits by car. And all this is thanks to freight rail transport managed by ZSSK CARGO.

For business offers in the segment of railway transport of chemicals and petroleum products, contact ZSSK CARGO Zuzana Korušiak Vargová on tel. +421 910 782 538, or by e-mail at vargova.zuzana@zscargo.sk.

Foto: Šimon Pjaták, Orsolya Nagy Szerencsés, ZSSK CARGO