Freight transportation

The volume of goods transported (payload) increased by 5,8% in March 2017 compared with March 2016. The corresponding income increased by 10,8% over the same period.

Income from freight transportation increased by 13,9% in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the first quarter of 2016. The main contributors to this increase were:

• primary mining and quarrying products (20,5% and contributing 7,2 percentage points);
• manufactured food, beverages and tobacco products (29,9% and contributing 3,7 percentage points); and
• 'other' freight (18,7% and contributing 1,8 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted payload increased by 0,9% in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the fourth quarter of 2016. Rail freight grew by 2,6% (contributing 0,7 of a percentage point), while road freight grew by 0,2% (contributing 0,1 of a percentage point).

Passenger transportation

The number of passenger journeys decreased by 6,1% in March 2017 compared with March 2016. The corresponding income decreased by 9,0% over the same period.

Seasonally adjusted passenger journeys decreased by 4,7% in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the fourth quarter of 2016. Rail passenger journeys decreased by 5,6% (contributing -3,2 percentage points), while road passenger journeys decreased by 3,6% (contributing -1,5 percentage points).