The Railway Transport Office (UTK) provided the latest data on the punctuality of the Polish railways. The indicators relate to both passenger and freight traffic. In the first three months of 2022, 91.03% of passenger trains arrived on time at the end station. This is an increase of more than one percentage point compared to the previous quarter.
UTK reported that the punctuality rate increased compared to the previous quarter, despite a serious failure of the railway traffic control systems. Railway operators launched 559,000 trains during this period including 448,000 passenger- and 111.000 freight trains.
“The increase in the punctuality of trains observed in the first two months was very strongly hampered by the disturbing events that took place in March. The situation related to the failure of railway traffic control devices shows how many factors can affect the proper functioning of the national rail transport system, and the railroad must be prepared for every situation to ensure smooth transport performance”, summarizes the President of UTK Ignacy Góra.
The highest punctuality rate in the first quarter was recorded by the Warsaw Commuter Railway – 99.4%; POLREGIO trains were punctual at 91.7% rate. This is an increase of over 2 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. PKP Intercity achieved a punctuality rate of 69.78% – which marks a decrease of almost a percentage point.
The average delay of passenger trains in the first quarter of 2022 was 34 minutes for trains that were delayed at the end station by more than 5 minutes 59 seconds and almost 12 minutes for all trains. This is the weakest result since the Office of Rail Transport publishes data on the punctuality of trains.
UTK has published data also about freight traffic. In the first quarter of 2022, 42.05% of freight trains arrived at the end station on time. In the case of domestic trains, the punctuality rate was 43.42%, and in the case of international trains 36.96%. For domestic transport, an increase in punctuality was recorded compared to the previous quarter.
The railway closed 2020 year with a punctuality rate of 95%. In 2021, this ratio had dropped to 90.1%.
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