Rail freight and passenger transportation in increase

In comparison with the same period of the previous year, 2.1 % more goods and 14.1 % more passengers were transported by rail in the last quarter of 2021.

ZAGREB, March 15, 2022 - In the railway services market in the Republic of Croatia in the fourth quarter of 2021, an increase of 2.1% was recorded in freight and 14.1% in passenger transport compared to the same period of the previous year. The indicators show that passenger transport is slowly recovering from the disorder caused by the pandemic, which is certainly supported by the decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia of free transport for children and students by Croatian Rails, but there is decrease in the number of passengers of 26.3 %, compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.

In the freight transport HŽ Cargo d.o.o. transported 2.4 % more goods and accounted for 5.9 % less tonne kilometres, while at the same time new freight railway undertakings accounted for 1.9 % more goods transported  and 2.1 % less tonne kilometres. At the end of the fourth quarter, the new undertakings had a 57.7% share in goods and 45.1% in tonne kilometres transported.

By comparing transportation modes according to transported train kilometres, the passenger transport accounts for 64.5% of the total traffic, while the rest was achieved in the freight transport. Out of all freight railway companies, the largest share of train kilometres of 54.4 % had HŽ Cargo d.o.o. while the remaining share was generated by nine new freight undertakings. At the same time, three new railway freight undertakings were not active. There has been transported 8.3 %, less train kilometres, according to which  HŽ Cargo achieved  8.5 % less, and the new freight undertakings 2.3 % less train kilometres. Passenger transport had 9.6% less train kilometres and 21.4% more passenger kilometres compared to the same period last year.

Indicators of the railway market are available on the website of the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) and can be accessed through the following link.