Barriers to entry in railway freight market: building knowledge through Swedish and Polish operators' experiences

This paper investigates the barriers to entry railway operators confronted when they entered the deregulated railway freight market. Additionally, the paper examines the utilised market entry strategies. Literature analysis combined with experimental data gathered by interviewing railway undertakings' representatives, provides novel data. The findings support earlier studies: main market entry barriers are exogenous by nature, including needed investments, acquisition of rolling stock and bureaucracy. In several cases Swedish railway undertakings have background from governmental company, whereas in Poland companies have been established on the grounds of heavy industry. However, both markets are growing, which enables new opportunities for railway operators.