Cargo rail transport drops 7.8% y/y in 2023

The latest data reveals a challenging year for the Polish railway system in terms of cargo volume, especially in container transport. According to the Office of Rail Transport's report, during the first half of 2023, railway companies transported 115.3 million tons of goods, showing a significant decrease of 9.8 million tons (-7.8%) compared to 2022.  At the same time, the freight transport work performed reached 30.8 billion ton-kilometers, marking an increase of almost 0.2 billion ton-kilometers compared to the first half of 2022, representing the highest result in the last decade. The decline in the mileage of diesel trucks was observed, with a decrease of 0.7 million train-kilometers (-1.7%) in the first two quarters of 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year.

The challenges faced by the railway freight market since 2020, including those related to COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, have impacted the industry. Despite initial stability in early 2023, a concerning decline appeared in February, deepening in subsequent months.

Source: wnp.pl