Dying Danube: A sharp break has emerged in European inland waterway freight transport.
The Danube is one of Europe’s most important trade routes, but according to the latest Eurostat data, countries along the Danube are increasingly lagging behind the western European, Rhine-based inland logistics. While Germany and the Netherlands are likely to remain stable, the Danube countries, including Hungary, are experiencing a significant decline. In Hungary, freight transport performance has decreased by more than a third since 2019, and most of the traffic is transit-based, meaning that the Danube has become more of a transit route than a major economic center.
According to the latest Eurostat data, the Danube is still one of Europe’s most convenient trade routes, but the countries along the river are increasingly diverging from the Rhine-centric inland logistics of Western Europe. While Germany and the Netherlands are maintaining their positions, the Danube-bordering EU countries show a significant decline. In Hungary, the situation is particularly acute: inland freight transport has fallen by more than a third compared to its peak in 2019, with most of the remaining traffic being transshipment. As a result, the Hungarian section of the Danube now functions more as a transit route than as a strong economic area with domestic port, industrial, and logistical connections.
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