The acquisition of the UK’s largest rail freight operator and purchase of a stake in a Spanish logistics company have taken Deutsche Bahn, Europe’s biggest freight operator, closer to filling in the “blank spots” in its pan-European network, its chief executive has said.

However, speaking as he confirmed details of the purchase of the UK’s EWS and a 55 per cent stake in Spain’s Transfesa, Hartmut Mehdorn said there remained further areas where DB was not offering services and he wished to tackle them.