Use of collective transport modes for passenger transport and non-road transport modes for freight transport in Europe

From 2005 to 2019, collective transport modes, such as buses and trains, were used to meet about 17.5% of passenger transport demand in the EU-27. This share fell to 13% in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The share of freight transport accounted for by rail and inland waterways decreased from 26% to 24% between 2005 and 2019 and to 23% in 2020. The total demand for inland passenger transport in the EU-27 increased by 11% between 2005 and 2019, while freight transport demand increased by 9%. The EU is therefore not on track to shift transport toward more efficient modes, which is one of the objectives of the sustainable and smart mobility strategy.

Changes to the EU’s mobility system will be vital if the EU is to realise its green and digital transformation ambitions and become more resilient to future crises. In 2020, the European Commission adopted a sustainable and smart mobility strategy along with an accompanying action plan of 82 initiatives aimed at promoting, for example, the use of more sustainable transport modes. Objectives include increasing the number of passengers travelling by rail and commuting by public transport and active modes, instead of with a personal car, and transporting more goods by rail, inland waterways and short sea shipping, instead of by road. Achieving these objectives could reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions and other environmental pressures. Such transport modes for both passenger and freight, especially when the occupancy level is high, are a sensible choice in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and, for some, also air pollutants emissions. Increasing and optimizing their use is therefore relevant in an environmental perspective [1].

In the period 2005-2019, the share of total passenger transport demand met by collective passenger transport modes, such as buses and trains, in the EU-27 remained constant, at 17%. This sharply decreased to 13% in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, total inland passenger transport activity increased by 11% between 2005 and 2019, indicating an increase in the use of private cars in absolute terms. This decreased by 12% in 2020 (with respect to 2005). Similar is true for freight transport: the share of total freight transport accounted for by non-road modes, such as inland waterways and trains, decreased from 26% to 24% between 2005 and 2019 (23% if 2020 is considered), while total goods transport activity rose by 9% (6% if 2020 is considered). However, the pandemic in 2020 had a more limited effect on freight transport than on passenger transport.

These trends suggest that neither the share of passenger transport demand met by buses and trains nor the share of freight transport accounted for by trains and inland waterways is unlikely to increase during the 8th EAP period of 2021-2030. Significant efforts to discourage the use of private cars and lorries for transport and encourage the use of public transport by passengers and non-road transport modes by businesses would be needed to achieve these objectives. It remains to be seen to what extent and for how long the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the use of private cars as well as the goods delivery sector.

There are large differences between countries in terms of both the shares of total transport activities accounted for by sustainable modes and the changes in these shares over time. Between 2005 and 2020, the shares of total inland passenger transport accounted for by collective modes in the 27 EU Member States decreased significantly (by at least 3 percentage points) in 20 countries and remained relatively unchanged in the remaining seven countries. For freight transport, the shares decreased in 10 countries, remained unchanged in 11 countries and increased in four countries. For Serbia and Montenegro, passenger transport data are available from only 2010. If evaluated with respect to this year, Serbia shows a significant increase, while Montenegro’s share remains constant. The limited accuracy of passenger data could affect data comparability between countries and the reported trends.

Supporting information

Definition

This indicator monitors the share of collective and non-road transport modes in total inland passenger and freight transport, respectively. Collective transport modes refer to passenger transport via buses, coaches and trains. Non-road transport modes refer to freight transport using trains and inland waterways. Total inland passenger transport activity includes transport by passenger cars, buses and coaches, and trains. Total inland freight transport activity includes transport by road, rail and inland waterways. All data are based on movements within national territories, regardless of the vehicle’s nationality.

Methodology

Figure 1: raw data for the EU-27 share (%) of collective and of non-road modes in total inland passenger and freight transport activity, respectively, were obtained from Eurostat. Raw data for the increase in total inland passenger and freight transport demand were retrieved from the 2022 version of the statistical pocketbook EU transport in figures published by the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport . EU-27 aggregate data were used. No additional gap filling was applied to the data. Information on data set uncertainties can be found directly in the metadata and explanatory notes provided by Eurostat. For data on the share of buses and trains in total passenger transport, only official Eurostat data sets have been used.

Additional information on the methodology used for data collection can be found here: ‘Share of rail and inland waterways in inland freight transport (sdg_09_60)’ , ‘Share of buses and trains in inland passenger transport (sdg_09_50)’ and Statistical pocketbook 2022 (europa.eu).

Figure 2: raw data by country on changes (between 2005 and 2020) in the shares of collective and of non-road transport modes in total inland passenger and freight transport activity, respectively, were retrieved from Eurostat. Data are displayed at country level and are expressed in percentage points. To provide the broadest possible picture of European countries, geographical coverage was extended to the 32 EEA member countries and the Western Balkan cooperating countries when data were available. No additional gap filling was applied to the data. Information on data set uncertainties can be found directly in the metadata and explanatory notes provided by Eurostat. Only official Eurostat data sets have been used.

Additional information on the methodology used for data collection can be found here: ‘Share of rail and inland waterways in inland freight transport (sdg_09_60)’ and ‘Share of buses and trains in inland passenger transport (sdg_09_50)’.

Policy/environmental relevance

This indicator is one of a set of indicators that track the EU’s progress towards meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and their 169 related targets which are at the heart of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The indicator monitors trends in the shift towards environmentally friendly transport modes and the progress towards building a resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation (SDG 9) and making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (SDG 11). These targets are embedded in the following European Commission priorities: ‘a European Green Deal’, ‘a Europe fit for the digital age’ and ‘an economy that works for people’. The indicator is also relevant in the context of the Commission’s ‘sustainable and smart mobility strategy’, adopted in 2020. This strategy lays the foundation for the EU transport system’s green and digital transformation and for making it more resilient to future crises.

Eight Environment Action Programme

The component of this indicator that looks at the share of inland passenger transport accounted for by buses and trains is a headline indicator for monitoring progress towards the 8th EAP. It contributes mainly to monitoring mobility aspects of the 8th EAP priority objective set out in Article 2(f), to be met by 2030: ‘promoting environmental aspects of sustainability and significantly reducing key environmental and climate pressures related to the Union’s production and consumption, in particular in the areas of energy, industry, buildings and infrastructure, mobility, tourism, international trade and the food system.’ For the purposes of 8th EAP monitoring, this indicator assesses specifically whether the EU will increase, during the period of the 8th EAP (2021-2030), the share of inland passenger transport, expressed in passenger-kilometres, accounted for by buses and trains.

Accuracy and uncertainties

The accuracy of the part of the indicator dealing with passenger transport is currently limited because the collection of road passenger data is voluntary. As a result, these data are based on a large variety of statistical sources and some data gaps are filled with estimates. Additional information can be found here: ‘Share of buses and trains in inland passenger transport (sdg_09_50)’.

In contrast, the accuracy of the data on freight transport is generally good, since data collection is based on the following legal acts:

road: Regulation (EU) No 70/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2012 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of goods by road (recast)

rail: Regulation (EU) 2018/643 of the European Parliament and the Council on rail transport statistics (recast)

inland waterways: Regulation (EU) 2018/974 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways.

Additional information can be found here: ‘Share of rail and inland waterways in inland freight transport (sdg_09_60)’.

Data sources and providers

Metadata

DPSIRTopicsTagsTemporal coverageGeographic coverage

TypologyUN SDGsUnit of measureFrequency of disseminationContact

References and footnotes

EEA, 2021, Transport and environment report 2020 — Train or plane?, EEA Report, 19/2020, European Environment Agency, Copenhagen.

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EC, 2022, 'Statistical pocketbook 2022', (https://transport.ec.europa.eu/media-corner/publications/statistical-pocketbook-2022_en) accessed January 12, 2023.

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EC, 2022, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the monitoring framework for the 8th Environment Action Programme: measuring progress towards the attainment of the programme’s 2030 and 2050 priority objectives, COM(2022) 357 final.

^a^b
EU, 2022, Decision (EU) 2022/591 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 April 2022 on a general Union Environment Action Programme to 2030, OJ L 114, 12.4.2022, p. 22–36.

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