Intermodal transport Turkey–Europe: Ro-Ro, rail The cargo stays put, the vehicle changes.
Intermodal transport moves goods in one loading unit (a container, swap body or semi-trailer) over two or more modes in succession, without handling the goods themselves when the mode changes. On the route from Türkiye to Europe the chain brings together Ro-Ro ships, trains and trucks. We organise the legs under one plan with one contact, and our own customs broker handles clearance.
- 1 loading unit · 2+ modes
- Ro-Ro · rail · road
- Customs clearance in-house
Definition
What intermodal transport means
The definitions come from the transport statistics glossary published jointly by Eurostat, the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the International Transport Forum.
Two modes or more
Carriage of goods by at least two different modes of transport. Intermodal transport is a particular type of it.
One unit, successive modes
The goods stay in the same intermodal transport unit; when the mode changes, the unit is handled and the goods are not. Empty containers and trailers going back are outside the definition, because no goods move.
Container, swap body, semi-trailer
An intermodal transport unit is a container, a swap body or a semi-trailer. A Ro-Ro unit is wheeled equipment driven or towed onto a ship or train: a lorry, trailer or semi-trailer.
Often a single contract
According to the glossary, international multimodal transport is often based on one contract covering the whole carriage. What that means legally is set out below, under documents and liability.
Ro-Ro
Ro-Ro from Turkish ports to Europe
A semi-trailer or a complete truck rolls onto the ship on its own wheels and rolls off again. We list the lines below only from the operator's own page; the sailing counts and times are the operator's statement, not ours.
In accompanied transport the complete truck, tractor unit and semi-trailer, travels on the other mode with its driver, and the same truck drives on at the port of arrival. In unaccompanied transport only the semi-trailer or container travels; at the port of arrival another tractor unit picks it up or the unit moves on by rail. The statistics glossary defines the two cases separately, and the DFDS tariff calculator splits vehicle types into "semi trailer" and "complete unit".
Which one fits depends on the destination, the deadline and the road leg in Europe. With the accompanied option the same truck runs the European road leg; the transit permits for that leg are a separate subject, see road transit permits and ECMT. With the unaccompanied option we organise the tractor unit or the rail connection at the port of arrival before loading.
Complete truck
Tractor, semi-trailer and driver travel together; the same vehicle drives on at arrival.
Semi-trailer or container only
Another tractor unit or a train takes it on at the port of arrival.
| Line | Operator | What the operator's page says |
|---|---|---|
| Pendik – Trieste | DFDS | 6 reciprocal sailings a week, about 64 hours. Semi-trailers, complete and long units, out-of-gauge vehicles and all types of container. |
| Mersin – Trieste | DFDS | 2 departures a week in both directions; crossing about 68 hours. |
| Martaş (Marmara Ereğlisi) – Trieste · Martaş – Sète | DFDS | Regular sailings; aimed at cargo leaving Halkalı, Çerkezköy and Çorlu. |
| Yalova – Sète | DFDS | 5 sailings a week from both ends; about 76 hours. Drivers fly to Marseille Airport and take a shuttle to the port of Sète. |
| İzmir (Alsancak) – Sète | DFDS | 1 sailing a week, Mondays from Alsancak. At Sète every unit must be represented by a forwarder on the French customs approved list. |
| Ambarlı · Gemport – Patras – Bari – Trieste | Grimaldi | 2026 brochure: new service with 4 vessels; trains from Trieste to Duisburg–Antwerp and Wels. |
Sailing counts and times are taken from the operator's page and can change; the operator publishes the current timetable. The table carries no ranking. Ambarlı, Mersin and İzmir are among the five gateways where our own team works. Pendik, Yalova, Martaş and Gemport are outside those five: we can also ship from other Turkish ports, and where we have no team of our own we say so from the start.
Rail and road
On by rail, delivered by road
After the Ro-Ro port the unit can move on by train; the last leg still goes by truck to the consignee's door. There are also direct trains from İstanbul to Central Europe.
For rail the first question is whether the semi-trailer can be lifted by crane. The operators' pages say so line by line: the Trieste–Cologne train takes craneable semi-trailers and all types of container, while the Trieste–Wels and Sète–Calais pages also list non-craneable semi-trailers. The trailer type decides from the outset which terminals the chain can use.
On the loading side a truck runs from the factory to the Ro-Ro port or rail terminal; on the arrival side, from the terminal to the consignee. Lining the legs up on one timetable is the job itself. More on each mode on the rail freight and road freight pages.
Liftable semi-trailer
Lifted onto the wagon at the terminal; the choice of trains is wide.
Non-liftable semi-trailer
Only the lines that accept it; otherwise the leg goes by road.
| Line | Operator | Units accepted and what the page says |
|---|---|---|
| Trieste – Cologne | Line sold by DFDS | Craneable semi-trailers, all types of container. |
| Trieste – Wels | Rail Cargo Austria (sold by DFDS) | Craneable and non-craneable semi-trailers, containers. |
| Trieste – Bettembourg | CFL (sold by DFDS) | All types of trailer and container. |
| Sète – Calais | VIIA (sold by DFDS) | Craneable and non-craneable semi-trailers, containers. |
| İstanbul – Budapest (via Kapıkule) | Rail Cargo Group | 20, 30, 40 and 45 ft containers, swap bodies, craneable semi-trailers; dangerous goods under RID accepted. 3 departures a week; connections to Vienna, Wels, Ludwigshafen, Duisburg and Zeebrugge. |
| Halkalı – Dunajská Streda | Metrans | 2 departures a week. |
The table carries no ranking and no claim that Edolines runs these services; each line is given as the operator's page states it.
Documents and liability
One contract, several modes
When the chain runs on one price and one contract, the Turkish Commercial Code, the CMR and the transport document used decide together which rules apply.
Carriage by different means
Where the carriage rests on one integrated contract, is performed by different types of vehicle, and at least two of the legs would have fallen under different rules had a separate contract been made for each, the Code's carriage provisions apply to the whole chain. An international convention that must be applied and provides otherwise takes precedence.
Where the place of loss is known
If it is known on which leg the loss arose, the carrier's liability follows the rules that would have applied to a separate contract for that leg. The burden of proving the leg lies with the party that asserts it. Notice of loss follows art. 889 whether or not the place of loss is known (art. 904).
When the truck is on the ship
If the vehicle containing the goods is carried over part of the journey by sea, rail, inland waterway or air and the goods are not unloaded from it, the CMR applies to the whole carriage. Where loss or damage came from an event that could only occur in the course of that other carriage and was not caused by the road carrier, liability follows the rules of that other mode. Under the CMR, vehicles include motor vehicles, articulated vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (art. 1(2)).
Multimodal transport document
The negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading conforms to the UNCTAD/ICC Rules. The issuing forwarder undertakes to perform or procure the whole transport in its own name and assumes the liability set out in the conditions (cl. 2.1). The limit is 666.67 SDR per package or 2 SDR per kg gross, whichever is higher; 8.33 SDR per kg if the chain has no sea or inland waterway leg (cl. 8.3, 8.5). Where loss arose on a stage to which a mandatory convention or law would have applied another limit, that limit governs (cl. 8.6). Suit must be brought within 9 months (cl. 17).
In which capacity the forwarder acts
A forwarder undertakes to arrange carriage, not to perform it. If a single price that includes the transport costs was agreed, the forwarder has the rights and obligations of a carrier. More in who a freight forwarder is in law.
Liability limits by mode are on the carrier liability limits page; value above the limit is covered only by cargo insurance. When you ask for a quote, ask in writing which transport document will be issued and which conditions apply.
In operations your contact does not change. We line up the transfer windows, and if a leg slips you hear it from us before you ask.
Incoterms
FCA in a multimodal chain
If the semi-trailer or container is handed over at a Ro-Ro or rail terminal, the seller does not load the goods on board itself. Under the ICC's split, that is ground for the multimodal rules.
In Incoterms® 2020 seven rules are for any mode or modes of transport: EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU and DDP. FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF are for carriage where the seller places the goods on board a vessel at a sea or river port (alongside it, in FAS). The ICC says a seller handing containerised goods to a carrier before loading onto a ship is well advised to sell FCA rather than FOB.
Under FCA risk passes on delivery to the carrier nominated by the buyer, even if the seller hires its own truck for the first part of the route. That is why the place of delivery is named as precisely as possible. More in FOB or FCA and Incoterms by transport mode.
EXW · FCA · CPT · CIP · DAP · DPU · DDP
For use in a multimodal chain.
FAS · FOB · CFR · CIF
For sea and inland waterway carriage where the seller loads on board.
Customs
Customs clearance in-house
Customs brokerage is in-house: the export declaration and the transit papers are prepared by the same team that owns the file, and the file is not handed to anyone outside.
For the transit declaration and guarantee on a chain to Europe, see T1 transit and NCTS. Which document is prepared by whom, and when, is on the export documents page.
The port of arrival can have rules of its own. According to the DFDS İzmir–Sète page, every unit at Sète must be represented by a forwarder on the French customs approved list. We organise requirements of this kind with the arrival side before loading.
Export declaration
HS code, value and origin papers with our own customs broker.
Transit
T1 and NCTS; guarantee and route.
Port requirements
The representation and papers the operator and the arrival customs ask for.
What we do
We organise the chain
The quote states which operator carries which leg. The promise is the same on every mode: one contact, a written quote the same working day, no charges beyond what the quote says.
A proposed chain
Which port, which line, rail or road: we set out the options with transit times and costs and choose with you.
Booking and timetable
Ro-Ro, rail and road legs aligned on one timetable; we watch the transfer windows.
Customs clearance
Export declaration and transit papers with our own customs broker.
One contact
The same person from loading to delivery; when something goes wrong, we call before you have to ask.
Other modes: sea freight, air freight; all of them together on the Services page.
Frequently asked
Are intermodal and multimodal the same thing?
No. Multimodal means carriage by at least two modes. Intermodal is a particular type of it: the goods stay in the same container, swap body or semi-trailer and are not handled themselves when the mode changes. The definitions are from the joint Eurostat, UN and ITF glossary.
Should I ship accompanied or unaccompanied on Ro-Ro?
Accompanied, the complete truck travels with its driver and the same truck drives on at arrival. Unaccompanied, only the semi-trailer or container travels, and another tractor unit or a train takes it on at arrival. Lines accept different units; we decide with you based on the destination, the deadline and the road leg in Europe.
Can every semi-trailer go by train?
No. According to the operators' pages, the Trieste–Cologne train takes craneable semi-trailers and containers, while Trieste–Wels and Sète–Calais also take non-craneable semi-trailers. The Rail Cargo Group İstanbul–Budapest train accepts craneable semi-trailers. The trailer type shapes the chain from the start.
Which rules apply if cargo is damaged on Ro-Ro?
If the goods were not unloaded from the truck, the CMR applies to the whole carriage. If the damage came from an event that could only occur at sea and was not caused by the road carrier, the rules for sea carriage apply (CMR art. 2). Under Turkish law too, where the place of loss is known, the rules for that leg apply (TCC art. 903).
Why do you attribute sailing counts and times to the operator?
Because the sailing is the operator's; the figures in the table are what its page says, and they can change. For your own cargo we put the chain, the transit time and the cost in writing in the quote: the same day within office hours, otherwise the next working day.
Which Incoterms® rule for a multimodal shipment?
One of the seven rules written for any mode or modes of transport. The ICC says a seller handing containerised goods to a carrier before loading onto a ship is well advised to sell FCA rather than FOB. Name the place of delivery with a full address; more in FOB or FCA.
Sources
- Eurostat, UN Economic Commission for Europe, ITF — Glossary for transport statistics, 5th edition (2019) G.I-01 intermodal, G.I-02 multimodal, G.I-06 and G.I-07 accompanied and unaccompanied transport, G.II-02 intermodal transport unit, G.II-13 Ro-Ro unit · ec.europa.eu (PDF) · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- DFDS — Pendik–Trieste, Mersin–Trieste, Martaş–Trieste, Yalova–Sète, Martaş–Sète, İzmir–Sète route pages Sailing counts, times, units carried, drivers flying out, Sète representation rule; "semi trailer" and "complete unit" in the tariff calculator · dfds.com.tr · Mersin · Yalova · İzmir · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- DFDS — Trieste–Cologne, Trieste–Wels, Trieste–Bettembourg, Sète–Calais rail pages Rail operator and units accepted · dfds.com.tr · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- Grimaldi Lines — Short sea lines 2026 brochure Trieste–Bari–Patras–Ambarlı–Gemport service, 4 vessels; Türkiye–Trieste connection with trains to Duisburg–Antwerp and Wels · grimaldi-lines.com (PDF) · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- Rail Cargo Group — TransFER Budapest–Istanbul Units that can be loaded, RID, weekly departures, route via Kapıkule, connection points · railcargo.com · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- Metrans — from Halkali Halkalı–Dunajská Streda, weekly departures · metrans.eu · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- CMR — Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road, UN Treaty Series vol. 399, No. 5742 Art. 1(2) (vehicles), art. 2 (vehicle carried by another mode) · treaties.un.org (PDF) · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- Turkish Commercial Code No. 6102 (Türk Ticaret Kanunu) Art. 902 (carriage by different means), 903 (known place of loss), 904 (notice and limitation), 917 and 921 (freight forwarder, single price) · mevzuat.gov.tr · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- FIATA — Documents and Forms FBL: conformity with the UNCTAD/ICC Rules, conditions cl. 2.1, 3.1, 8.3, 8.5, 8.6, 17 · fiata.org (PDF) · accessed 30 Sep 2026
- ICC — Incoterms® 2020, introduction Paragraphs 33 (the carrier and the place of delivery in FCA), 42–44 (rules for any mode and for sea), 66 (FCA for containerised goods) · icc-switzerland.ch (PDF) · accessed 30 Sep 2026
This page is for information only; it is not a contract, a tariff or a capacity commitment. Lines, sailing counts, times and accepted units are taken from the operators' own pages and belong to the operators; they do not mean that Edolines runs these services, holds a contract with a given operator or commits to a transit time. There is no ranking or comparative claim. Statutory and contractual provisions are summarised; for a legal assessment read the text itself and consult a lawyer.
Change log
- Page published. Ro-Ro and rail lines were written from the operators' own pages, definitions from the Eurostat, UN and ITF glossary, the law from the TCC, CMR and FIATA texts, and the Incoterms section from the ICC's Incoterms® 2020 introduction, all read directly. The Çeşme–Trieste line was left out because the operator's own page could not be opened.