Liege Airport and Liège Logistics Intermodal (LLI) announced a strategic partnership with the objective of developing a new multimodal air-rail-road hub.
This partnership, marked by Liege Airport’s acquisition of a 10 % stake in LLI will enable the development of a new multimodal platform integrating air, rail and road transport modes.
Investment and expansion
The first phase of this significant project will entail investments of €22 million up to 2030, with the objective of modernisng and expanding the existing road-rail platform operated by Liège Logistics. The works planned for this phase include bringing the rail tracks up to European standards, installing gantry cranes and upgrading access roads.
The second phase will entail the creation of new access points and roadway modifications, the construction of a new goods storage and processing area, and the development of a horizontal piggyback loading platform.
These developments will enable the rail-road platform to handle up to 45 trains a week, representing an annual capacity of 180,000 containers.
A strategic asset for the region
The property is situated just 1.5 km from Liege Airport, in close proximity to both the conventional railway line and the TGV line that connects Liège to Brussels. Additionally, the rail-road platform benefits from a strategic location on the TEN-T network (the European Union’s transport infrastructure development programme).
The railway hub is owned by the SPI economic development agency and managed by LLI. Since 2024, LLI has been handling 9 trains a week to Italy and 3 weekly trains from China. This new infrastructure will establish the Liège region as a key logistics hub, offering versatile transport solutions for local and international companies.
A favorable context
This partnership is part of a broader European context that is conducive to the growth of rail and river transportation, in alignment with the objectives of the Green Deal and the EU’s sustainable mobility strategy. Furthermore, the increasing costs of road transportation may make rail freight an even more attractive option in the coming years.
Liege Airport strengthens its multimodal position
“In line with its strategic vision, Liege Airport is positioning itself as a provider of multimodal and sustainable solutions. This partnership with LLI represents the first tangible manifestation of this vision. Liege’s strategic location offers unique advantages in Europe, providing efficient air, road, rail, inland waterway and sea logistics solutions in a small area. The package on offer to logistics providers will be complete and attractive. We are pleased to be collaborating with LLI on the economic development of our region,” stated Laurent Jossart, CEO of Liege Airport.
