| Germany has a transport infrastructure that is the | | | | national railroad carrier, Deutsche Bahn AG. Deutsche |
| envy of the world and this has helped enable the | | | | Bahn AG was privatised in 1994 although it still |
| development of a highly effective freight services | | | | received subsidies from the government, reflecting |
| industry. The phrase 'Germanic' is often used as a | | | | the government's prioritisation of the country's |
| byword for efficiency and with good reason, if the | | | | transport infrastructure. |
| freight services industry in Germany is seen as a | | | | Lufthansa, the flagship air carrier in Germany is one |
| measure. | | | | of the leading airlines in the world. Since the |
| The efficiency of the transport network throughout | | | | liberalisation of air transport in the European Union in |
| the country is all the more remarkable when you | | | | 1997, Lufthansa has fought hard to retain its |
| consider that it is less than twenty years since the | | | | dominant position in Germany's internal routes, in the |
| Berlin Wall came down and East Germany started its | | | | face of burgeoning competition from low cost |
| process of integration within Germany. | | | | carriers and others. |
| Since the reunification of Germany in 1990, there has | | | | There are no less than 320 airports in Germany, |
| been a programme of extensive development | | | | including 14 with runways over 3 km. There are over |
| throughout Eastern Germany to bring the freight | | | | half a million departures from airports in Germany |
| transport infrastructure up to the same standard as | | | | every year. The busiest airport in terms of passenger |
| the more developed west Germany. | | | | services and freight forwarding is the Rhein-Main |
| This programme has been highly successful and the | | | | airport at Frankfurt am Main. Cologne-Bonn is the |
| freight transport infrastructure in Germany is now | | | | second biggest in terms of freight transport. The |
| amongst the best in the world, with every mode of | | | | other most important airports for international freight |
| transport fully maximised. The speed of development | | | | are Berlin-Tegel, Dusseldorf and Hamburg. The federal |
| following reunification has presented a challenge for | | | | government and cities such as Berlin and Cologne are |
| freight forwarders as they have kept up to date | | | | preparing to sell their shares in major airports. |
| with the evolving transport infrastructure, that has | | | | With such an extensive airport network, freight |
| increased the options to be considered by the | | | | forwarding by air is extremely efficient in Germany |
| shipping company or freight company. | | | | and the freight services provider will fully consider all |
| There is a very efficient network of waterways, | | | | the available options when designing the best freight |
| railways and motorways that make internal | | | | forwarding solution for a client. |
| connections fast and straightforward and also | | | | Marine transport is also very developed, with major |
| connect Germany with other countries throughout | | | | ports in the Baltic Sea including Kiel, Rostock and |
| the world. This has been a spur to economic activity, | | | | Luebeck, and also on the North Sea, including |
| as access to markets is fully facilitated. | | | | Hamburg, Bremen, Emden and Bremerhaven. |
| The road network is particularly impressive in | | | | There are also many major river ports. The most |
| Germany, with the Autobahn world famous for its | | | | notable are at Bonn, Cologne, Duisberg, Mannheim |
| outstanding efficiency and speed. There are over | | | | and Karlsruhe on the Rhein; Magdeburg and Dresden |
| 650,000 kilometres of paved roads in Germany, | | | | on the Elbe and Kiel on the Kiel Canal. The Kiel canal is |
| which includes over 11,000 miles of expressways. | | | | an important strategic transport link, connecting the |
| There are no speed limits on some roads, meaning | | | | North Sea and the Baltic Sea. |
| that freight forwarding by road can be a particularly | | | | The most important port for Germany is actually not |
| effective option. The roads also tend to be free of | | | | in Germany at all - it is Rotterdam in the |
| traffic jams, as the German public are very keen on | | | | Netherlands. Meanwhile, Hamburg is the largest port |
| public transport and also make above average use of | | | | within Germany, accounting for about a third of all |
| travel by bicycle, thus helping reduce overall traffic | | | | the international freight. |
| congestion. This has a positive impact on the freight | | | | The amount of freight shipped through German ports |
| services industry, meaning that journey times and | | | | is very high, at over 200 million tonnes a year. |
| costs can be accurately predicted and that risk is | | | | The integrated and comprehensive transport |
| minimised. | | | | infrastructure is a model of efficiency, meaning that |
| As well as the excellent roads, there is also an | | | | shipping companies can provide streamlined and |
| impressive rail system in Germany. There are over | | | | cost-effective freight services for their clients. |
| 40,000 kilometres of railroads, which are run by the | | | | |