RAIL FREIGHT
In September 2020 rail freight reached values closest to last year’s level. The weight of transported goods in September was 19.6 m tonnes. The transport performance was nearly 4.7 bn tonne-km and the operational performance was 6.9 m train-km. When compared to September 2019, the weight carried was lower by 0.2%, but transport and operational performance were higher by 2.3% and 2.1% respectively. The average distance was 238 km and was by 2.4% higher than in September 2019.
– September ended with the best result in rail freight in this year. However, the total weight of goods carried since the beginning of this year is lower than in corresponding period of 2019. A decrease in cargo transport which depends on demand of construction and energy industries is particularly visible. It confirms that the rail operators in their traditional role of bulk carriers are hugely dependent on large infrastructure projects or demand of the energy sector – comments Ignacy Góra. – On the other hand, the rise of intermodal transport is visible in the market. It becomes necessary to stimulate the development of this segment as we need to shift the cargo in transit in Poland from road to rail. It is important to create new opportunities and solutions for rail transport – he adds.
The freight results for three quarters of 2020 are 162 m tonnes, 38 bn tonne-kim and 56 m train-km, which means a decrease – as compared to 2019 – by 8.8%, 10.1% and 9% respectively. The average distance in January to September 2020 was 234 km. The freight results for this period are better than in 2019, when the weight carried was 161.8 million tonnes, transport performance was 37 m tonne-km and operational performance was 54 m train-km.
Detailed data on rail freight can be found in the UTK Freight statistics section.