Intermodals Market Report 2026

The intermodals market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $34.18 billion in 2025 to $37.7 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of global trade routes, development of rail freight infrastructure, growth of container standardization, increasing fuel cost volatility, rising demand for multimodal logistics solutions.

The intermodals market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $55.85 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investments in smart intermodal terminals, rising focus on low-emission freight transport, expansion of international trade volumes, growing adoption of digital freight management platforms, increasing demand for temperature-controlled logistics. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of rail-based intermodal freight transport, rising demand for containerized cargo movement, growing use of refrigerated intermodal solutions, expansion of cross-border freight corridors, enhanced focus on cost and emission optimization.

The rising volume of international trade is expected to drive the growth of the intermodals market in the coming years. International trade volumes refer to the total quantity of goods and services exchanged among countries across global markets. The expansion of international trade is largely fueled by economic globalization, as nations increasingly rely on cross-border trade for raw materials, manufactured products, and consumer goods, creating greater demand for efficient transportation systems. Growing international trade volumes increase the need for intermodal transportation services, as they enable the seamless combination of multiple transport modes including rail, truck, and ship to move goods cost-effectively and efficiently over long distances and across international borders. For example, in April 2024, the World Trade Organization, an international organization based in Switzerland, projected that global merchandise trade volume would grow by 2.6% in 2024 and 3.3% in 2025 as demand for traded goods rebounds after 2023. Therefore, rising international trade volumes are contributing to the growth of the intermodals market.

Major companies operating in the intermodal market are focusing on technologies such as intermodal rail tracking to improve supply chain visibility and operational efficiency. Intermodal rail tracking is a logistics solution that provides real-time monitoring of container movements across multiple transportation modes, particularly rail and ocean. For instance, in June 2023, Vizion, a U.S.-based technology company specializing in supply chain visibility solutions, introduced its Intermodal Rail Tracking tool. The solution delivers real-time location updates and insights into key milestones such as last-free and available pickup dates, helping users avoid extra freight charges and manage logistics more effectively.

In September 2024, Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc., a U.S.-based logistics and transportation services company, acquired Parsec for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Universal Logistics Holdings aims to broaden its service capabilities and strengthen its market position. Parsec is a U.S.-based software company known for its remote desktop and game-streaming technology.

Major companies operating in the intermodals market are BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, Canadian National Railway, Deutsche Bahn, CSX Transportation, Schneider National, Inc, SNCF, Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight), KNIGHT-SWIFT TRANSPORTATION HOLDINGS INC., China State Railway Group Co. Ltd., Container Corp. of India Ltd., Indian Railways, KiwiRail Ltd., PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero), Qube Holdings Ltd., Twentieth Super Pace Nominees Pty Ltd, SF Express Co. Ltd., Deppon Logistics Co. Ltd., HOAU Logistics Company Limited, Shanghai CNEX Express Co. Ltd., COSCO Logistics, Barrington Freight Ltd., Coyote Logistics Europe, TransContainer, Emperor Franz Joseph Railway, GW Train Regio, Caile Ferate Romane, CFR Marfa, J.B. Hunt intermodal, XPO Logistics, Swift Intermodal, The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), Kansas City Southern, Hudson Bay Railway Co., Panalpina, Yusen Logistics, Fox Brasil, Almar Group, Trenes Metropolitanos, Brazil Great Southern Railway, Ferrocarril Transandino, Saudi Railway Company, Israel Railways Ltd. Iraq Republic Railways Co., Middle East Rail, Turkish State Railways (TCDD), Egyptian National Railways (ENR), Transnet SOC Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the intermodals market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global intermodals market analysis report during the forecast period. The regions covered in the intermodals market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the intermodals market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The intermodals market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as rail-road transport, containerized cargo handling, port-to-port and port-to-inland transport, terminal and transshipment operations, warehousing and storage, freight consolidation and deconsolidation, door-to-door logistics, cold chain and temperature-controlled transport, bulk and break-bulk cargo transport. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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