Railway statistics: documentation of statistics

The railway statistics are the basic statistics of the Finnish railways, including data on both the rail network and railway traffic. The statistics describe the state of the railways with time series and by rail section. The statistics serve operators in the field of transport by producing statistical data to help in their planning, monitoring, supervising and decision-making.

The statistics include time series data on the rail network and railway traffic. The statistics contain data on the tracks, rolling stock, rail traffic, passenger traffic, freight traffic, financing and accidents.  The data cover the entire Finnish railway system.
Regarding tracks, the rail network length is presented classified according to the number of tracks, line classification and operational classification. Time series are presented for part of the data.

Regarding the rolling stock, the statistics contain the tractive stock by type of locomotive, passenger traffic cars and the number of seats, and freight wagons and their carrying capacity in tonnes.

Regarding train traffic, the main train and tractive stock performances are presented as a time series.
Passenger traffic journeys and freight traffic volumes are presented as a time series.

Regarding accidents connected to railways, the number of accidents is given classified according to type of accident, fatalities and serious injuries.

The railway statistics are the basic statistics on Finnish railways, including data on both the track network and railway traffic. The statistics describe the state of the railways by means of time series and by track section. The statistics serve operators in the field of transport by producing statistical data for the purposes of their planning, monitoring, supervision and decision-making.

The statistics include time series data on the track network and railway traffic. The statistics contain data on the tracks, rolling stock, rail traffic, passenger traffic, freight traffic, financing and accidents. The data cover the entire Finnish railway system.

Regarding tracks, the rail network length is presented classified according to the number of tracks, line classification and operational classification. Time series are presented for part of the data.

Regarding the rolling stock, the statistics contain tractive stock by type of locomotive, passenger traffic cars and the number of seats, and freight wagons and their carrying capacity in tonnes.

Regarding train traffic, the main train and tractive stock performances are presented as a time series.

Passenger traffic journeys and freight traffic volumes are presented as a time series.

Regarding accidents connected to railways, the number of accidents is given in categories according to type of accident, fatalities and serious injuries.

The railway statistics are the basic statistics of the Finnish railways, where the state of the railways is described by time series and rail section. The statistics contain data on the tracks, rolling stock, rail traffic, passenger traffic, freight traffic, financing and accidents. The data cover the entire Finnish railway system.

The statistical unit is rail section for the rail network and train locomotive and wagons for the performance.

The units of railway transport performance data are number, passenger, train-kilometre, locomotive-kilometre, vehicle-axle-kilometre, gross tonne-kilometre and gross tonne-kilometres hauled.

The railway statistics are published annually by the end of August and they contain the final annual data concerning the previous year. Passenger and freight traffic performance is also published quarterly around three months from the end of the statistical reference quarter.

The data cover the entire Finnish railway system. The most important data can be described on the Finnish railway network regionally by rail section.

The railway statistics cover the situation of the Finnish railways well because the rail network is a closed system. The accuracy and reliability of the data is for the most part good according to international standards as well.  Nearly all railway statistics are based on so-called full statistics.

The railway statistics have been compiled since 1933 and prior to that, the railway statistics were issued as reports of the National Board of Railways from 1873 to 1932.

Annual data on railway statistics are published by the end of August on Statistics Finland's website. The data contain the final annual data concerning the previous year.

Passenger and freight traffic performance is also published quarterly on Statistics Finland's website. The data presented in the statistics are final.

The railway statistics cover the situation of the Finnish railways well because the rail network is a closed system.

The accuracy and reliability of the data is for the most part good according to international standards as well. Nearly all railway statistics are based on so-called full statistics.

The railway statistics are published annually by the end of August and they contain the final annual data concerning the previous year. Passenger and freight traffic performance is also published quarterly around three months from the end of the statistical reference quarter.

The data are released according to the target date.

The data are comparable on the level of the entire Finnish railway network.

The statistical headings of the railway branch have been internationally defined by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) and the International Union of Railways (UIC). The different concepts and definitions used by the different EU Member States have impaired the international comparability of railway statistics. The EU Regulation on railway statistics, which entered into force in 2003, has, however, improved the situation.

The data are well comparable over time. Comparable time series are available from decades ago. However, changes have been made to the classifications and definitions over the years and they are indicated in the notes to the tables in the section concerned.

The railway statistics have been compiled since 1933 and prior to that, the railway statistics were issued as reports of the National Board of Railways from 1873 to 1932.

The statistical headings of the railway branch have been internationally defined by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) and the International Union of Railways (UIC). The different concepts and definitions used by the different EU Member States have impaired the international comparability of railway statistics. The EU Regulation on railway statistics, which entered into force in 2003, has, however, improved the situation.

The railway statistics are the only regularly conducted report on the state of the railways and railway traffic in Finland. Operators may publish data on passenger and freight transport by rail for their own activities.

Data concerning the track are obtained from the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s track databases. The data are updated every year to reflect the changes brought by maintenance work and investments in the rail network.

Data concerning rail traffic and rolling stock are for the most part obtained from the operators’ continually updated statistical databases, which number several dozen. Some of the data are connected to sales monitoring and some to separate registers.

Data related to the track derive from track databases. Data on passenger and freight transport are also collected direct from operators.

For passenger and freight transport data are also collected quarterly, for all other data annually.

The data are processed to correspond to the classifications used in the statistics.

Experts evaluate the data before their publication and compare the data with the previous year’s data.

Statistics Finland

Social Statistics

The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics. 

Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.  

Further information: Statistical legislation 

The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is absolutely guaranteed in accordance with the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Personal Data Act (532/1999) and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), as well as the requirements of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Wilful breaching of data protection is punishable.

The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act (1050/2018). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Violation of data protection is punishable. 

Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi) 

Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data are public after they have been updated in the web service. 

Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland 

The annual data and latest quarterly data on the railway statistics are available on the publication date of the release on the home page of the statistics. The data of the sTtatistics are also available in Statistics Finland's StatFin database service.

Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.   

In addition to statistical data published in the StatFin database, a release on the key data is usually published in the web service. If the release contains data concerning several reference periods (e.g. monthly and annual data), a review bringing together these data is published in the web service. Database tables updated at the time of publication are listed both in the release and in the review. In some cases, statistical data can also be published as mere database releases in the StatFin database. No release or review is published in connection with these database releases. 

Releases and database tables are published in three languages, in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language versions of releases may have more limited content than in Finnish.   

Information about changes in the publication schedules of releases and database tables and about corrections are given as change releases in the web service. 

Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions. 

The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before. 

Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data. 

The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.

Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.

Eurostat, the media, researchers and other users need statistical data on the status and development of railway traffic and the track network.

The railway statistics cover the situation of the Finnish railways well because the rail network is a closed system.

The accuracy and reliability of the data is for the most part good according to international standards as well. Nearly all railway statistics are based on so-called full statistics.

Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are also compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice. 

Further information: Quality management | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)

Data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may only be handled at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.

Further information: Publication principles for statistics 

Unless otherwise separately stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer of the data and the owner of the copyright. The terms of use for statistical data.