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Austria leader in the EU in terms of km by train per person
France was overtaken, but Switzerland keeps the gold medal
15 September, 16:21
(ANSA) - TRIESTE - Who are the most faithful train lovers? In
2013, the Austrians were undoubtedly the most passionale train
fans in the EU. This news was disclosed today by the Austrian
organization Verkehrsclubs Oesterreich (Vcoe), engaged since
1988 in the field of ecological and sustainable mobility.
According to a survey based on data issued by the European
Commission in 2013 ''Austria has overtaken France'' in the
number of kilometres travelled (per person) yearly by train, it
is said in a press release by Verkehrsclubs.
Austria who is now ranked number 1 for the first time with 1,425
km per capita in 2013, followed by France with 1,400 and Sweden
with 1,235. Then come Denmark (1,215), Germany (1,085), the
Netherlands (1,020), Great Britain (955), Belgium (925), Hungary
(790), Italy (750), Luxembourg (745) and Finland (740).
Many of the countries of the New Europe are among the countries where the train is less used as a mean of transportation, all with a ''consumption'' which is less than 700 miles per year. In this group you can find the Czech Republic (695 km), Spain (485), Poland and Slovakia (both 465), Slovenia (375), Portugal (365), Ireland (350), Latvia (345), Croatia and Bulgaria (260), Romania (230), Estonia (150), Lithuania (135). Greece ranks lowest, with only 75 km per person in 2013. The EU average, according to Vcoe, is 830 km per person yearly. Switzerland is still top-ranked in the whole EU, with a number of kilometers by train per person which was 2,430 in 2013. How could Austria overtake France? According to Vcoe expert Markus Gansterer, this is due to the quality of services. Quoted in the press release issued by Vcoe, Gansterer explained that ''the speeding up and the qualitative improvement" of the railway line Vienna-Salzburg, as well as the ''improvement of regional transport'' have convinced the Austrians to travel by train even more than in the past and even a third more than their German neighbours. But Austria is not the only country to have recorded an increase in travel by train. Compared to 2005, according to Vcoe, the use of this mean of transportation has increased also in Slovakia, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, whereas it has decreased in Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Italy. (ANSA).
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Many of the countries of the New Europe are among the countries where the train is less used as a mean of transportation, all with a ''consumption'' which is less than 700 miles per year. In this group you can find the Czech Republic (695 km), Spain (485), Poland and Slovakia (both 465), Slovenia (375), Portugal (365), Ireland (350), Latvia (345), Croatia and Bulgaria (260), Romania (230), Estonia (150), Lithuania (135). Greece ranks lowest, with only 75 km per person in 2013. The EU average, according to Vcoe, is 830 km per person yearly. Switzerland is still top-ranked in the whole EU, with a number of kilometers by train per person which was 2,430 in 2013. How could Austria overtake France? According to Vcoe expert Markus Gansterer, this is due to the quality of services. Quoted in the press release issued by Vcoe, Gansterer explained that ''the speeding up and the qualitative improvement" of the railway line Vienna-Salzburg, as well as the ''improvement of regional transport'' have convinced the Austrians to travel by train even more than in the past and even a third more than their German neighbours. But Austria is not the only country to have recorded an increase in travel by train. Compared to 2005, according to Vcoe, the use of this mean of transportation has increased also in Slovakia, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, whereas it has decreased in Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Italy. (ANSA).
