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A record number of passenger travels, rail freight again with lower figures – results of railway operations in October of 2019

02.12.2019

October of 2019 was a first month in years, when more than 30 million passengers were transported. The result of this year’s October is by 2.7 million passengers (rise by 9.6%) higher than in October of last year. With regard to rail freight the carriers transported almost 21.4 million tonnes of goods in October. The result is the monthly highest in 2019, however in comparison to October of 2018 means a decrease by 5.5%.

Rail carriers transported more than 31 million passengers in October. Transport service amounted to 1.9 billion passenger-kilometres, and operational performance – 14.6 million train-kilometres (more by 5.1% and 3% respectively than in October of 2018). – One may be pleased by a steady rise of interest in the railway offer. The rise of the number of passengers was noted both by regional and agglomeration passenger carriers, as well as by long-distance ones. Such growing numbers mean good predictions for the coming years – admits Mr. Ignacy Góra, Sc. D., the President of the Office of Rail Transport (Pol. Urząd Transportu Kolejowego, UTK).

In October the biggest increases of the number of transported passengers (in comparison to the corresponding month of last year) were noted by: POLREGIO (Przewozy Regionalne) – over 1 million passengers more (rise by 14%), Koleje Śląskie – 418 thousand passengers more (25%), Koleje Mazowieckie (300 thousand, 6%), Koleje Dolnośląskie (250 thousand, 22%) and PKP Intercity (208 thousand, 5%).

Between January and October of this year the carriers transported more than 278 million passengers, which means a rise by 7,9% in comparison to the same period of last year. The transport service was at the level of 18.6 billion passenger-kilometres and operational service – 141,2 million train-kilometres. The results were higher by 4.6% and 2.3% respectively.

The passenger transport's results may be found on the UTK’s website in this subsection.

With regard to the transport service of rail freight the October’s result was at the level of more than 5 billion train-kilometres, and the operational service – 7.5 million train-kilometres. This means that the values were lower by 8.6% and 6.7% respectively in comparison to October of 2018.

During the January-October period almost 199 million tonnes of goods were transported by rail. Transport service amounted to 47.2 billion tonne-kilometres and operational service – to more than 69 million train-kilometres. These values were lower by 5%, 5.3% and 6.2% respectively in comparison to the same period of last year.

From the beginning of this year we have witnessed a decline in interest of railway transport with regard to goods. That’s why it is so important for rail freight carriers to look for new market opportunities and offer complex freight services – judges Mr. Góra.

The leader of the market, with regard to the weight of transported goods, has been PKP Cargo with a share of 40.7%. Further on the list are DB Cargo Polska (16.9%), Lotos Kolej (5.4%), PKP LHS (4.1%) and CTL Logistics (3.5%).

Average distance of 1 tonne of transported goods in the period January-October was 237 kilometres and meant a decrease by 1 km in comparison to the corresponding period of last year.

More on the rail freight statistics can be found here.

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