Rail passenger transport movements in Spain have experienced notable fluctuations over the past decade. From 2013 to 2019, there was a consistent upward trend in rail passenger kilometers, peaking at 28.84 billion in 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant drop in 2020, with a -58.45% year-on-year variation. The subsequent years saw a recovery with significant year-over-year increases: 45.87% in 2021 and 46.72% in 2022, bringing the value to 25.64 billion passenger kilometers in 2022. By 2023, the value reached 29.24 billion passenger kilometers, reflecting a 14.02% increase from the previous year.
Future projections suggest a modest growth rate, with forecasted values of 30.22 billion passenger kilometers by 2028, translating to a 5-year CAGR of 0.52%.
Future trends to watch for include:
- Potential impacts of new sustainable transport policies.
- Technological advancements in rail infrastructure.
- Shifts in passenger preferences post-pandemic.
- Economic factors affecting consumer travel behavior.