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Freight Rail Transport in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
Over the five years through 2025, industry revenue is expected to inch up at a compound annual rate of 0.1% to €51.8 billion. European freight rail transportation has succumbed to intense competition over the past decade, with road freight accounting for a consistently greater proportion of inland freight volumes. Dependence on rail freight varies widely across Europe, with Russia being the most prominent user of rail freight transport. Western Europe uses their extensive railway network for passenger transport, whereas Central Europe and the Balkans rely more heavily on rail freight. Industry performance is significantly influenced by broader macroeconomic conditions and geopolitical relations. These factors dictate freight volume and trade dynamics, which, in turn, determine income opportunities for freight rail transport.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released May 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code UK-H4912. Companies in this industry transport freight via rail on both mainline rail networks and short-line freight railroads across Europe. The industry does not include cargo handling, warehousing and storing goods, or railroad infrastructure operations. Related terms covered in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom include modal shift, trans-european transport network and multimodal transport.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom include National transport , International transport and Transit services .
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom include Freightliner Group Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom is £51.8bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 4,757 businesses in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 6.8 % between 2020 and 2025.
Has the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What does the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom include?
National transport and International transport are part of the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom.
How competitive is the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Freight Rail Transport industry in the United Kingdom.
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