On 30 October 2026, Eurostat data reported by Railway Supply showed EU rail passenger transport reached a record 457 billion passenger-kilometres in 2025, an increase of 2.6% versus 2024. The 2025 figure is 14.2% above the pre-pandemic 2019 level and represents the highest annual total since Eurostat began collecting comparable data in 2004. The quarterly trend slowed sharply after a strong first quarter, with gains of 5.3% in Q1, 0.5% in Q2, 0.3% in Q3 and 2.7% in Q4 versus the same 2024 quarters.
Passenger trains also recorded a record 3,125 million train-kilometres in 2025, up 1.6% on 2024 and 7.0% above 2019. Germany (111.8 billion passenger-km) and France (110.6 billion) together accounted for almost half of the EU total. Domestic journeys represented 94.4% of rail passenger-km. Country-level movements varied: Portugal (+25.7%), Ireland (+13.1%) and Poland (+8.6%) posted the largest increases; Estonia (−10.9%) and Romania (−10.4%) the largest declines. Belgium data remain confidential and metro, tram and light rail are excluded from the Eurostat figures. Eurostat plans the next update of its rail passenger statistics in October 2027. This RailZoom Intelligence Brief is an original synthesis based on the cited public source. Details not confirmed by a first-party announcement are identified as reported information. For overseas project development or industry intelligence cooperation, contact RailZoom.
Lead
On 30 October 2026, Eurostat data reported by Railway Supply showed EU rail passenger transport reached a record 457 billion passenger-kilometres in 2025, up 2.6% from 2024. The dataset covers main railway undertakings under Eurostat reporting rules, excludes metro, tram and light rail, and omits Belgium because its data are confidential. Eurostat plans the next update of its rail passenger statistics in October 2027.
Verified facts
Eurostat’s dataset, as reported on 30 October 2026, recorded 457 billion passenger-kilometres for EU rail passenger transport in 2025, compared with 445 billion passenger-kilometres in 2024. The 2025 total is 14.2% higher than the 2019 pre-pandemic level. The annual increase of 2.6% in 2025 was smaller than the 6.4% growth recorded in 2024 and is the smallest annual gain since volumes began to recover in 2021. Quarterly Eurostat figures show passenger-km up 5.3% in January–March 2025, 0.5% in April–June, 0.3% in July–September and 2.7% in October–December, each versus the same quarter in 2024.
Passenger train activity reached 3,125 million train-kilometres in 2025, a new high and 1.6% above 2024 and 7.0% above 2019. Eurostat’s passenger-km totals are based on mandatory reporting for undertakings carrying at least 100 million passenger-km annually (200 million before 2016) and may include smaller undertakings under national arrangements; train-km coverage can differ where smaller operators report separately.
Organizations and responsibilities
Eurostat: provider of the statistics and the party that the Railway Supply article cites for the data and methodology. Eurostat is described as collecting mandatory reporting from railway undertakings meeting the reporting threshold and publishing the quarterly and annual breakdowns.
Railway Supply: secondary media that reported Eurostat’s release on 30 October 2026. The article reproduces Eurostat figures and interpretation; statements in this brief that reference the dataset are identified as coming from Eurostat as reported by Railway Supply.
Other named parties: Not publicly disclosed. No other organisations, suppliers or contract holders are named in the source material.
Operational and commercial context
The Eurostat data indicate continued recovery of rail passenger demand since the 2020 pandemic trough, but a marked slowdown in growth momentum in 2025 compared with earlier recovery years. Passenger-km in 2025 remain above 2019 levels, which signals regained volume at pan-EU scale; however, the reduced rate of increase—2.6% in 2025 versus 6.4% in 2024 and larger rates in 2021–2023—may affect short-term capacity planning, revenue projections and service frequency decisions for operators whose planning relies on year-on-year demand growth. The source also shows substantial national variation: Germany (111.8 billion passenger-km) and France (110.6 billion) together accounted for almost half of EU passenger-km in 2025, while six member states recorded less than 1 billion. Country-level outliers included Portugal with the strongest increase at 25.7% and Estonia and Romania with the largest declines at −10.9% and −10.4% respectively. Relative metrics reported by Eurostat show Hungary highest in passenger-km per inhabitant at 1,692, and Luxembourg highest by passengers per inhabitant at 46.1 but with the shortest average domestic journey at 16 km.
The dataset excludes metro, tram and light rail and omits Belgium’s figures because they are confidential; these coverage limitations should be considered when using the totals for modal-share or network planning analysis. The report also notes that rail’s share of all passenger-km in the EU reached 7.5% in 2024, marginally ahead of buses, coaches and trolleybuses, but behind cars and air in the modal split for 2024 (cars 69.2%, air 15.8%).
Sources
https://www.railway.supply/eu-rail-passenger-km-reach-a-record-457-billion-but-growth-slows-to-2-6/ — Railway Supply (reporting Eurostat release)
Disclosure
This RailZoom Intelligence Brief is an original synthesis based on the cited public source. Details not confirmed by a first-party announcement are identified as reported information. For overseas project development or industry intelligence cooperation, contact RailZoom.
