Romania recorded the fastest growth in road freight transport in the European Union, with companies reporting almost 29 billion tonne-kilometres carried by road in 2023, representing a 69% increase over ten years. This growth rate was three times faster than the EU average, according to Eurostat data cited by Colliers.
The industrial real estate market has expanded nearly fivefold over the last decade and is set to reach around 8 million sqm in 2025. However, the shortage of motorways and modern railways remains a major obstacle to Romania's logistics development, highlighting the need for continued infrastructure investments.
"Romania's nearly 29 billion tonne-kilometres of goods moved by road is close to Hungary's level, but more than six times lower than Poland's. Even though Romania has recorded the fastest growth in road goods transport in the European Union, the gap versus regional economies remains significant," explains Victor Cosconel, Partner | Head of Leasing | Office & Industrial Agencies at Colliers. "To narrow this gap over the next 10-15 years, Romania needs to continue building motorways and modernising the rail network."
After years of record motorway openings, the 2025-2026 period is set to bring a slower pace of construction. This deceleration could slow down the logistics space market's expansion and investments in industrial properties. Eurostat data show that more than 77% of goods moved by road in Romania are domestic deliveries, one of the highest shares in the EU, reflecting the country's relatively low level of exports.
Romania has one advantage over many European countries - only 54% of goods are transported by road, below the EU average of 78%. The country has a high share of inland waterway transport, especially on the Danube, which accounts for around 20% of total goods transported. "We are close to the 8 million sqm mark of leasable industrial and logistics space, a performance that shows Romania is in an accelerated development cycle," concludes Cosconel.
