Over the past decade, France's railway passenger traffic has experienced several fluctuations. After peaking in 2017 at 96.69 Billion Passenger Kilometers, the volumes saw a downward trend until 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a drastic reduction in 2020, with a 43.75% decline. Recovery was swift, with a significant year-on-year increase of 70.4% in 2021. By 2023, traffic reached 96.16 Billion Passenger Kilometers, indicating a near return to pre-pandemic levels.

From 2023 onward, the forecast suggests a steady increase. For 2024, traffic is projected to be 96.26 Billion Passenger Kilometers, growing consistently to 97.99 Billion Passenger Kilometers in 2028. This indicates a modest long-term growth with a 5-year CAGR of 0.36%.

Future trends to watch for include:

Continued recovery and stabilization of passenger traffic post-pandemic.
Potential impacts of environmental policies promoting rail over air travel.
Technological advancements in train services improving passenger experience and efficiency.