Optimise your road and rail logistics by setting up in Hauts-de-France
Hauts-de-France is the country’s top logistics region, served by outstanding road and rail networks. Travelling by road or by rail, your shipments will arrive seamlessly at their destination, cutting delivery time.
Optimise your road and rail logistics by setting up in Hauts-de-France
Hauts-de-France is the country’s top logistics region, served by outstanding road and rail networks. Travelling by road or by rail, your shipments will arrive seamlessly at their destination, cutting delivery time.
Density of regional road network
(linear kms per sq km)
Source: Tomtom traffic index 2019
Road transport
Road haulage remains the no. 1 choice for goods transport in Hauts-de-France. A dense network serves the entire region. And when you set up here, you’ll enjoy immediate access to major European motorways, starting with the A1—a leading European artery—linking Paris and Brussels.
Fast facts on roads in Hauts-de-France
67,100 km of road
Highest concentration of motorways in France: our region accounts for 10% of the nation’s major highways
12 motorways cross the region, at the heart of a very dense transit zone between Paris, Brussels and London
Less congestion than other metropolitan areas around the world
Fast facts on roads in Hauts-de-France
67,100 km of road
Highest concentration of motorways in France: our region accounts for 10% of the nation’s major highways
12 motorways cross the region, at the heart of a very dense transit zone between Paris, Brussels and London
Less congestion than other metropolitan areas around the world
Although road traffic in Hauts-de-France is heavy, our regional capital, Lille, ranks only 203rd among the world’s 416 most congested cities.
Congestion levels in the world (%)
Source: Tomtom traffic index 2019
Rail transport
As France’s top rail region, Hauts-de-France handles a major share of goods entering and leaving the European Union by train. In France as a whole, rail freight totalled 33.4 billion tonne-kilometres in 2017, with cross-border transport rising a steep 6.2% over 2016.
Imports from the EU by rail in 2015 (€ millions)
| Transport mode | Hauts-de-France | Share of total, continental France |
|---|---|---|
| Rail | 3,304 | 36.7 % |
Sources: SOeS, SITRAM, DGDDI (French customs)
Shipments to other EU destinations by rail in 2015 (€ millions)
| Transport mode | Hauts-de-France | Share of total, continental France |
|---|---|---|
| Rail | 1,431 | 18.0 % |
Sources: SOeS, SITRAM, DGDDI (French customs)
North-western Europe 1.5 hours away by high-speed rail
A comprehensive rail network lets users optimise travel for people and goods. From Hauts-de-France, you can reach three European capitals within 90 minutes by TGV high-speed rail.
- Lille – Brussels: 0h35
- Lille – Paris: 1 hour
- Amiens – Paris: 1h06
- Lille – London: 1h20
Density of rail network
(metres/sq km)
Source: INSEE 2016
Rail transport resources in Hauts-de-France
Hauts-de-France accounts for 10% of France’s total rail network (Source: SNCF Réseau), or 2,755 km of track
- Dunkerque is France’s no. 1 rail freight hub, handling 13 million tonnes a year, or 11% of the national total.
- Dourges is home to a major multimodal logistics hub, including a combined terminal handling rail, road and inland waterway transport.
- The Channel tunnel is the fastest, easiest way to carry goods between Europe and the United Kingdom. Cross-channel rail freight rose 3% in 2018, with 2,077 goods trains using the tunnel.
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