02. July 2026, 09:46 o'Clock
Article: Expanded container depot strengthens Ulm as a logistics hub
DB Intermodal Services expands the site by 38,000 square metres, creating additional capacity for combined transport.
Modern supply chains are facing ever-growing demands. Increasing transport volumes, volatile markets and the need for resilient logistics networks call for high-performance infrastructure. With the opening of a new depot area in Ulm-Dornstadt, DB Intermodal Services is therefore marking an important milestone for combined transport in southern Germany.
The start signal for increased capacity: Martin Ansbacher, Mayor of Ulm; Dr. Clarissa Freundorfer, DB AG’s representative for the state of Baden-Württemberg; Michael Heinemann, Managing Director of DB Intermodal Services GmbH; and Ralf Günter Kloß, Executive Board Member for Combined Transport at DB Cargo AG (from left to right).
After a construction period of around nine months, the company has expanded the existing site by approximately 38,000 square metres — equivalent to more than five football pitches. The new space provides immediate additional storage capacity for both loaded and empty containers. For shipping lines, freight forwarders and industrial companies, this means one thing above all: greater flexibility in planning and improved reliability across the entire transport chain.
Creating capacity before bottlenecks arise
Container depots are far more than simple storage areas. They serve as a central interface between rail and road, ensuring that containers are always available, inspected and ready for onward transport. With this expansion, DB Intermodal Services is responding early to the growing volumes in combined transport.
The additional depot space reduces bottlenecks in container availability and helps to make supply chains more robust. This flexibility is becoming increasingly important, particularly in times of fluctuating transport volumes and global supply chains. Companies benefit from shorter response times and improved access to logistics resources.
The expansion is closely linked to the ongoing development of the Ulm-Dornstadt transhipment terminal. Its handling capacity is set to more than double by 2028. Together, the terminal and depot will form a high-performance logistics hub, strengthening connections between the economic regions of Ulm, Upper Swabia and the Swabian Jura and national and international transport corridors.
Investing in the future of rail freight
For DB Cargo, DB Intermodal Services and TFG Transfracht, the expansion exemplifies the strategic growth of combined transport. The aim is to shift more freight onto climate-friendly rail while offering economically attractive logistics solutions.
Ralf-Günter Kloß, Board Member for Combined Transport at DB Cargo AG:
"With the new depot area in Ulm-Dornstadt, we are creating space today for the volumes of tomorrow. In doing so, we are strengthening combined transport in the region and making logistics more predictable for our customers."
The new depot area combines additional capacity with high-performance infrastructure, making a significant contribution to stable supply chains, sustainable transport and the long-term development of Ulm as a logistics location.
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