PASSENGER TRANSPORT
Almost 31.4 m passengers used rail services in January 2024, which is a year-on-year increase by 1.8 m (+6.1%) passengers. The transport performance reached 2 bn pass-km and was over 0.1 bn pass-km higher (+5.8%) than in 2023. The operational performance was 17.2 m train-km and rose by 6.1%. The average distance travelled by a passenger in January 2024 was 63 km, which is a similar result to the previous year.
In January 2024 the volumes of passengers, as well as the transport and operational performance were the highest results recorded in January since 2012.
The number of rail passenger was also slightly better in January 2024 compared to December 2023 – 5,800 more people used rail services (+0.02%). In the transport performance, it was a decrease compared to December 2023 by 0.1 bn pass-km (-6.9%). The operational performance rose by 0.7 m train-km (+4.3%) on a month-on-month basis. In January 2024 the average distance travelled by a passenger was 5 km shorters than in December 2023.
In January 2024 the majority of carriers which operate regular passenger services recorded an increase in the number of passengers. The highest year-on-year growth had Koleje Małopolskie (+52.8%). Moreover, for most carriers it was the best January since 2012. The notable exception was Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa – the commuter rail services for Warsaw – which had lower results than in January 2023 (by 37.8%). Due to construction works at the Warszawa Zachodnia station, the carrier can offer limited services and passengers opt to use other modes of transport.
Detailed data on rail passenger transport are available at dane.utk.gov.pl.
RAIL FREIGHT
In the beginning of the year rail freight companies recorded lower year-on-year results. It has much to do with the worsening economic situation in the sector. In January 2024 rail operators carried almost 17.7 m tonnes of goods, which is a decrease by over 2.7 m tonnes (-13.4 %) compared to January 2023. The transport performance was 4.5 bn tonne-km and was 0.9 bn tonne-km (-17.6%) lower than a year earlier. The operational performance, which amounted to almost 6.4 m train-km, was down by 13%. The average transport distance of 1 tonne of goods in January 2024 was 252 km - 13 km shorter than in January 2023.
January 2024, in terms of the weight of goods carried and the operational performance, was slightly better in the month-on-month comparison. Overall, the rail companies handled almost 8.1 thousand tonnes of goods more than in December 2023 (+0.05%). The operational performance rose by 0.1 m train-km (+1%).
The transport performance was 0.1 bn train-km lower than in December 2023 (-2.9%). In turn, the average transport distance of 1 tonne of goods was almost 8 km shorter than in December.
Detailed data on rail freight are available at dane.utk.gov.pl.