PASSENGER TRANSPORT
In November 2020 12.4 m passengers chose to travel by rail which is a decrease by 33% as compared to October 2020 and by 57.7% as compared to November 2019. The transport performance is 677.9 m pass-km and the operational performance is slightly less than 13.9 m train-km. These results are lower by 31% and 5.4% respectively as compared to October 2020 and by 61.6% and 1.1% as compared to November 2019.
In November, as in October, the number of passengers decreased. The expected drop in the total number of passengers in 2020 by over 100 m as compared to 2019 is therefore certain. Despite the decrease in the number of passengers, rail carriers have not reduced the number of connections and ensured that the conditions on-board were in accordance with the new sanitary regime.
- The demand in passenger transport has decreased significantly as a result of the pandemic. It is difficult to predict how long the pandemic restrictions will last. Moreover, it is even more difficult to forecast the trends in rail transport in the coming years. Several factors can influence the demand in passenger transport, for instance, the popularity of remote work – comments Ignacy Góra, the President of the Office of Rail Transport.
During eleven months of 2020 the total number of passengers amounted to 196 m, the transport performance reached 11.9 bn pass-km and the operational performance was 146 m train-km which as compared to the same period in 2019 is a decrease by 36.4%, 41.6% and 6.7% respectively. The average distance travelled by a passenger was 59 km which is lower by 7 km as compared to the same period in 2019.
RAIL FREIGHT
In November 2020 20.6 m tonnes of goods were transported by rail which is 0.8% less than in October 2020. The operational performance amounted to 7.3 m train-km and the transport performance was slightly over 4.8 bn tonne-km which was an increase by 0.7% and a decrease by 1.1% as compared to October 2020. The average distance was 234 km – it is 1 km less than in October.
In November 2020 better market parameters were recorded when compared to November 2019. The total weight of transported goods increased by 3.6%. The operational performance was higher by 6.1% and the transport performance by 4.1%. The average distance increased by 0.5% as compared to November 2019.
- November was so far the only month in 2020 when the freight results were better than in any corresponding period in 2019. These result and the increases which were recorded since June prove that a certain stabilization has been achieved. Despite the impact of the pandemic on economy, the supply chain has been preserved. From June to November, in each subsequent month we see increases when compared to the previous month, and in selected commodity groups a very large increase is visible, which only confirms that the rail freight market is trying to function normally despite the coronavirus pandemic – sums up Ignacy Góra, the President of the Office of Rail Transport.
During eleven months of 2020 the total weight of transported goods was 203.4 m tonnes, the operational performance reached 70.8 m train-km and the transport performance amounted to 47.6 bn tonne-km. When compared to January - November 2019 the drops were by 7.3%, 7.1% and 8.1% respectively. The average distance was 234 km which is 3 km lower than in the eleven months of 2019.
Detailed data on rail passenger transport can be found in the Passenger transport statistics section and on rail freight in the Freight statistics section.