thumb|A [[British Rail Class 92|Class 92 hauled container freight train on the West Coast Main Line, United Kingdom]]
thumb|A long grain train of the [[Union Pacific Railroad crossing a bridge in Washington state, United States]]
thumb|Freight trains wait for departure in [[Zhengzhou, China]]
Rail freight transport is the use of railways and trains to transport cargo, as opposed to passengers.
A freight train, cargo train, or goods train is a group of freight cars (US) or goods wagons (International Union of Railways) hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, transporting cargo all or some of the way between the shipper and the intended destination as part of the logistics chain. Trains may haul bulk material, intermodal containers, general freight, or specialized freight in purpose-designed cars. Rail freight practices and economics vary by country and region.
When measured in ton-miles or tonne-kilometers hauled, rail transportation is more energy-efficient than other modes. Maximum economies are typically realized with bulk commodities (e.g., coal), especially when hauled over long distances. Moving goods by rail often involves transshipment costs, particularly when the shipper or receiver lacks direct rail access. These costs may exceed that of operating the train itself, a factor that practices such as containerization, trailer-on-flatcar, or rolling highway aim to minimize.