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Rail transport in March 2021

30.04.2021

The number of rail passengers grows for five months in a row. However, when compared to March 2020 with no travel restrictions in place, in March 2021 we see a decline (14%). 15.3 m people travelled by rail - over 7% more than in February 2021. Rail freight is on rise. In March 2021 the weight of transported goods amounted to 21.3 m tonnes - over 19% more than in February 2021 and almost 11% more than in March 2020.

PASSENGER TRANSPORT

The number of passengers in March 2021 amounted to 15.3 m people and was lower by 14% as compared to March 2020. The transport performance was 859.5 m pass-km and decreased by 11.5% when compared to March 2020. However, the operational performance increased by 12.4% and amounted to 14.8 m train-km. The average distance travelled by a passenger in March was 56 km (3% increase). The main factor causing these differences are reductions in mobility caused by the COVID-19 epidemic.

From month to month passengers are slowly returning to using rail transport. 15.3 m passengers in March 2021 is 7.1% more than in February 2021. The transport performance was higher by 0.9% and the operational performance increased by 9.1% when compared to February 2021. The average distance travelled by a passenger decreased by 4 km.

- Last year, with the onset of the pandemic, there was a significant outflow of passengers. Rail operators had to adapt to the new realities. Currently, the passenger transport market is systematically rebuilding itself. March is the fifth month in a row with an increase in the number of travellers. The operational performance has also increased. This is a result of adapting the transport offer to the needs of passengers and launching more trains on more routes. We can assume that in the next months rail transport has a chance to recover from current difficulties caused by the pandemic - sums up Ignacy Góra, President of the Office of Rail Transport.

In 1Q 2021 over 43 m people travelled by rail. The transport performance in 1Q 2021 reached 2.5 bn pass-km and the operational performance was 43 m train-km. The average distance travelled by a passenger was 58 km. When compared to 1Q 2020, the drops were by 41.6% in the number of passengers, by 42.7% in the transport performance. There was an increase in operational work by 0.1% and a decrease by 0.9% in the average distance travelled.

RAIL FREIGHT

21.3 m tonnes of goods were transported by rail in March 2021 which is an increase by 10.5% when compared to March 2020. The transport performance amounted to 4.8 bn tonne-km (8.3% increase), and the operational performance to 7.1 m train-km (11.2% increase). The average distance was 225 km and decreased by 4 km as compared to March 2020.

In March the largest number of goods was transported by rail during 1Q 2021. March results were better by 19.4% than February. The transport performance increased by 21.5% and the operational performance by 20.2%. The average distance when transporting 1 tonne of goods decreased by 1.8%.

- In March an increase in the total weight of transported goods was noticeable when we look at results in the last months. The transported mass was also higher when compared to some months before the pandemic. This proves that the condition of the market is improving and the potential for the next months - comments Ignacy Góra, President of the Office of Rail Transport. – We should also remember that in 1Q 2021 new carriers started their operations - adds Ignacy Góra.

In 1Q 2021 rail freight amounted to 56.7 m tonnes. The transport performance was 12.8 bn tonne-km and the operational performance was 19.1 m train-km. The average distance was 226 km. When compared to 1Q 2020 it was an increase by 4.4% in the total weight of goods, by 2.9% in the transport performance and by 4.2% in the operational performance. The average distance when transporting 1 tonne of goods decreased by 1.3%.

Full data on passenger transport and rail freight are available at dane.utk.gov.pl.

 

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