Urban freight transshipment via urban rail: International experience and implications for Vietnam
Published: August 8, 2026
Abstract
This study examines eleven international projects using urban rail for freight transshipment in Europe, Japan, and China through a comparative multiple-case study based on secondary data. The findings demonstrate the technical feasibility of freight-on-transit models, while long-term viability depends on sufficient demand, off-peak operations, low-emission last-mile delivery, infrastructure compatibility, and policy support. The study proposes a metro-freight readiness framework comprising five dimensions and eleven criteria. Its preliminary application produces readiness scores of 11 out of 22 for Hanoi and 12 out of 22 for Ho Chi Minh City. Based on international experience, the study proposes policy implications concerning pilot projects, multimodal integration, suitable freight categories, public-private cooperation, technical standards, and alignment with Vietnam’s net-zero emissions target for 2050.
Keywords
green logisticsurban railfreight transshipmentfreight-on-transitreadiness assessment
References
1.
Thủ tướng Chính phủ (2022). Quyết định số 876/QĐ-TTg ngày 22/7/2022 phê duyệt Chương trình hành động về chuyển đổi năng lượng xanh, giảm phát thải khí các-bon và khí mê-tan của ngành giao thông vận tải, Hà Nội.
2.
Arvidsson, N. and Browne, M. (2013). A review of the success and failure of tram systems to carry urban freight: the implications for a low emission intermodal solution using electric vehicles on trams, European Transport, 54(5), 1-18.
3.
Behiri, W. et al. (2018). Urban freight transport using passenger rail network: Scientific issues and quantitative analysis, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 115, 227-245. DOI:10.1016/j.tre.2018.05.002
Cao, W. et al. (2026). Autonomous delivery vehicles for cross-line and cross-station logistics in the Shenzhen Metro: Implementation and validation, IET Intelligent Transport Systems, 20. DOI: 10.1049/itr2.70224
China Daily (2025). Robot successfully navigates subway to deliver goods. <https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202507/18/WS6879a39aa310ad07b5d90970.html>
6.
Dampier, A. and Marinov, M. (2015). A study of the feasibility and potential implementation of metro-based freight transportation in Newcastle upon Tyne, Urban Rail Transit, 1(3), 164-182. doi: 10.1007/s40864-015-0024-7.
Kikuta, J. et al. (2012). New subway-integrated city logistics system, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 39, 476-489. DOI:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.03.123
Motraghi, A. and Marinov, M.V. (2012). Analysis of urban freight by rail using event based simulation, Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, 25, 73-89. DOI:10.1016/j.simpat.2012.02.009
Ozturk, O. and Patrick, J. (2018). An optimization model for freight transport using urban rail transit, European Journal of Operational Research, 267(3), 1110-1121. DOI:10.1016/j.ejor.2017.12.010
Pandaily (2024). Shunfeng launches China's first rail logistics station in Shenzhen. <https://pandaily.com/shunfeng-launches-chinas-first-rail-logistics-station-in-shenzhen>
14.
Pietrzak, O. and Pietrzak, K. (2021). Cargo tram in freight handling in urban areas in Poland, Sustainable Cities and Society, 70, 102902. doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2021.102902. DOI:10.1016/j.scs.2021.102902
Railway Gazette International (2021). CarGoTram freight tram service comes to an end. <https://www.railwaygazette.com/light-rail-and-tram/cargotram-freight-tram-service-comes-to-an-end/58270.article>
16.
Ye, Y. et al. (2022). A metro freight plan for mixed passenger and freight transportation, Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2022, 6602387. doi: 10.1155/2022/6602387.
