Freight Transport Center in Berlin

The network of giants: An in-depth analysis of the GVZ Berlin and its four locations

The Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region is not only the political and cultural center of Germany, but also a beating heart of European logistics. Its strategic location as a gateway to Central and Eastern Europe, coupled with an excellent infrastructure, makes it one of the most dynamic logistics regions on the continent. But what exactly makes this location so powerful? The answer lies largely in the intelligent network of its freight transport centers (GVZ). The GVZ Berlin, consisting of the four independent but cooperating locations GVZ Berlin Süd Großbeeren, GVZ Berlin Ost Freienbrink, GVZ Berlin West Wustermark and the GVZ Berlin City Westhafen close to the city, forms the backbone for the flow of goods in the capital region and far beyond.

This text sheds light on the complex ecosystem of the GVZ Berlin. We analyze the individual locations, compare their strengths, shed light on cost factors such as rents and taxes, and take a close look at the crucial questions for logistics decision-makers. What infrastructure can companies expect? How sustainable are the locations? And where can companies find the skilled workers they need? Immerse yourself with us in one of the most important logistics hubs in Europe.

General description: Four locations – a strategic overall concept

The Berlin Freight Center is not a single, monolithic block, but a network of four highly specialised logistics areas strategically positioned around the German capital. Each site has been designed to meet specific logistical requirements and make the most of the strengths of its geographical location.

• GVZ Berlin Süd Großbeeren: The largest and highest-throughput location, known for its high availability of space and its function as a central hub for national and international trade.
• GVZ Berlin Ost Freienbrink: Characterized by its proximity to the e-commerce giant Tesla and its focus on automotive and consumer goods logistics with direct connections to the Eastern European markets.
• GVZ Berlin West Wustermark: The intermodal powerhouse in the west, which offers a perfect symbiosis of rail and road with its CT terminal (Combined Transport).
• GVZ Berlin City Westhafen: The historic port closest to the city, which plays an indispensable role in urban supply and city logistics as a trimodal location (water, rail, road).

This decentralised concept enables an efficient distribution of traffic flows, avoids congestion at central points and offers companies the optimal location depending on the requirement profile. All four freight villages are operated and marketed by the state-owned port and logistics companies BEHALA (Berlin) and IPG (Potsdam) as well as private developers, which ensures professional and growth-oriented development.

Location, state and overarching infrastructure

The locations of the GVZ Berlin are strategically distributed between the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg and are directly connected to the most important transport axes.

• Federal states: The Westhafen is located directly in the state of Berlin. The three other GVZ – Großbeeren, Freienbrink and Wustermark – are located in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg. This cross-border structure is a prime example of successful economic cooperation in the capital region.
• Motorway network: All four locations are located directly on or in the immediate vicinity of the Berlin motorway ring (A10). This acts as a central distributor for long-distance traffic in all directions (A2, A9, A11, A12, A13, A24). This direct connection is a decisive factor for the fast and reliable distribution of goods.
• Trans-European Networks (TEN-T): The region is a key point in the Trans-European Transport Network. Important corridors such as the Scandinavia-Mediterranean Corridor and the North Sea-Baltic Sea Corridor intersect here and integrate the GVZ directly into the most important European flows of goods.

The modes of transport in detail: How networked is the GVZ Berlin really?

The true strength of a freight village lies in its ability to intelligently link different modes of transport. The GVZ Berlin is in an exemplary position in this respect.

Road access

The connection to the road network is excellent for all locations and essential for the "last mile".

• Großbeeren: Direct connection to the B101 and only a few kilometres from the A10 (Berliner Ring) and the A115.
• Freienbrink: Located directly on the A10 and A12 (the "motorway of freedom" to Warsaw).
• Wustermark: Located directly on the B5, with immediate access to the A10.
• Westhafen: Perfectly connected to the urban and national road network via the A100 city motorway.

Rail connection: The backbone of combined transport

Rail is the key to sustainability and efficiency in long-distance freight transport. Three of the four locations are designed as bimodal or trimodal centers and have high-performance transhipment terminals for combined transport (CT).

• Modality: Großbeeren, Wustermark and the Westhafen are bimodal (road/rail) or trimodal (Westhafen plus water) locations. Freienbrink also has railway sidings, which are currently being further expanded.
• Terminals: The intermodal terminals in Großbeeren and Wustermark are among the most modern in Europe. They enable the fast handling of containers, swap bodies and semi-trailers between trucks and freight trains. The terminal in Großbeeren, for example, handled around 130,000 loading units in 2022 (source: DUSS). From here, daily block trains run to the German seaports (Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven) as well as to economic centers throughout Europe.
• Westhafen: Westhafen has its own highly functional container and bulk cargo terminal and is directly connected to the Deutsche Bahn network.

Water connection: The trimodal starch

• GVZ Berlin City Westhafen: As Berlin's largest inland port, the Westhafen is fully developed trimodally (waterway, rail, road). It is connected to the Elbe-Havel Canal via the Spree-Oder Waterway and the Havel Canal, providing a direct connection to the German seaports of Hamburg and Bremerhaven as well as to the European waterway network. This is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative, especially for the transport of heavy goods, bulk materials and containers.
• GVZ Berlin West Wustermark: Located in the immediate vicinity of the Havel Canal, which offers an expansion of the trimodal possibilities in the future.

Nearest airport

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) can be reached quickly from all locations (approx. 20-45 minutes driving time). As a modern capital city airport, it offers a constantly growing air cargo center. Although the tonnage handled is even lower compared to pure cargo airports such as Frankfurt or Leipzig, the proximity to BER is an invaluable advantage for time-critical shipments and global spare parts logistics.

Top logistics region Berlin-Brandenburg: Why this location is booming

In recent years, the Berlin-Brandenburg region has developed into one of the top 5 logistics regions in Germany. But what are the reasons for this impressive economic development?

1. Strategic location: As already mentioned, the bridging function between Western and Eastern Europe is unique.
2. Population density: The metropolitan region with around 6 million inhabitants is a huge consumer market that requires close-knit supply logistics.
3. E-commerce growth: Berlin is a hotspot for start-ups and online retail. Companies such as Zalando, Amazon and HelloFresh have their roots here or operate large distribution centers. This is driving the demand for logistics space enormously. Tesla's settlement in Grünheide, in the immediate vicinity of the Freienbrink freight village, has triggered another massive boost for automotive and supplier logistics.
4. Space availability: In contrast to highly densely populated regions such as Hamburg or Munich, Brandenburg was able to offer even larger, contiguous areas for logistics settlements in the past – a decisive competitive advantage.

These factors lead to a high take-up of space and dynamic economic development, which is reflected in the steadily growing number of employees in the freight villages.

The cost check: rental prices, land availability and tax rates

For companies, the costs at the location are a decisive criterion. How does the GVZ Berlin compare here?

Rental and land prices

The logistics boom has caused prices in the capital region to rise noticeably. Nevertheless, they are still at an attractive level in a national comparison.

• Prime rents for logistics space (new construction): In the Berlin-Brandenburg region, prime rents for modern logistics properties ("Big Box") are currently approx. €7.50 - €8.50 per square meter (as of Q2 2024). In absolute top locations and for smaller areas, prices can also be higher. (Source: Analyst reports from real estate service providers such as Colliers, JLL, CBRE).
• Land prices: The prices for developed commercial land vary greatly depending on the location and connections. They move in the GVZ and their surroundings in a range of approx. €100 to over €250 per square meter. However, the availability of large, contiguous plots of land is becoming increasingly scarce, which increases price pressure.

Tax rates: A decisive location factor

Trade tax is a significant financial burden for companies. The assessment rates differ from municipality to municipality and can tip the scales in the location decision.

(Sources: Statistical Offices Berlin-Brandenburg, respective municipal budgets. Assessment rates are subject to change, an examination by the responsible municipality is recommended.)

Analysis: The table clearly shows the competitive advantage of the Brandenburg locations, especially the GVZ Süd Großbeeren, compared to the Berlin location. The difference in the trade tax rate of up to 90 percentage points is a significant argument for settling in the Brandenburg area.

Companies located there: A "Who's Who" of logistics

Berlin's freight villages are home to an impressive variety of companies from logistics, trade and production. The presence of well-known global players underlines the importance of the locations.

• GVZ Großbeeren: Here are, among others: Lidl, Dachser, DB Schenker, DPD, REWE, and Amazon are represented with large distribution centers.
• Freienbrink freight village: In addition to Tesla's influence,  large logistics centers of EDEKA, the online tire retailer Delticom and various automotive suppliers are located here.
• Freight village Wustermark: The location is dominated by companies with a high rail connection such as Havi Logistics (for McDonald's), the CT terminal operator DUSS and numerous freight forwarders.
• GVZ Westhafen: Here you will find a mix of traditional port handling companies (e.g. BEHALA itself), building materials logistics companies and city logistics companies.

Key facts and locations in direct comparison

To provide a quick overview, here is a direct comparison of the most important key figures of the locations:

(Sources: Official data from the GVZ operators and the Investment Bank of the State of Brandenburg (ILB), as of approx. 2023.

Graphic proposal: A map of Berlin and the surrounding area, on which the four GVZ locations are marked and connected to the most important motorways (A10, A2, A9, A12 etc.) and waterways. Source: Own representation based on data from [name of source, e.g. WFBB].

Workers and skilled workers: The most important resource

One of the most pressing questions for any expanding company is: Can we find enough qualified personnel locally? The situation in the capital region is divided into two parts.

• Availability: Due to the size of the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region, there is a large pool of workers available, both in the commercial sector (warehouse workers, drivers) and in the commercial sector. The unemployment rate has fallen continuously in recent years, which intensifies the competition for good employees.
• Shortage of skilled workers: As in the whole of Germany, there is a noticeable shortage of qualified specialists, especially professional drivers, logistics masters and specialized IT specialists for warehouse management.
• Training and qualification: The region is responding to this shortage with a dense network of training opportunities. Numerous upper school centers (OSZ), universities (e.g. the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau with a focus on logistics) and private educational institutions offer training and further education in the logistics sector.

Conclusion and outlook: The future of logistics will be made in Berlin

The Berlin freight center is much more than just a collection of warehouses. It is a highly integrated, intelligent and growing network that is a key driver of the economic dynamism of the German capital region. The four locations complement each other ideally and offer a tailor-made solution for almost every logistical requirement profile – from trimodal city hubs to large-scale e-commerce centers with direct connections to the Eastern European markets.

The challenges of the future lie in the ongoing shortage of space, the increasing shortage of skilled workers and the need to make logistics even more sustainable. The operators of the GVZ and politicians are called upon to set the course for further growth through intelligent densification, the expansion of the rail infrastructure and investments in education and automation.

For companies looking for a strategic location in the heart of Europe, the GVZ Berlin remains one of the top addresses. The combination of excellent infrastructure, a huge sales market and a diversified mix of industries provides a foundation on which the logistics of the future can be successfully shaped.