Analytics, Estonia, Society, Transport

In 2011, the number of passengers carried by Estonian transport enterprises amounted to 159 million, of which 151 million were carried in domestic traffic. Passenger transport decreased by 8% compared to the previous year. Urban transport (i.e. buses, trams and trolleybuses) was used by nearly 117 million passengers, which was 13% (over 17 million passengers) less than a year earlier. The number of passengers in other domestic road transport (excl. urban transport) increased by 7% during the year, but slightly decreased in domestic railway traffic. The number of passengers in domestic sea transport and flights increased by 1% and 12%, respectively. The Estonian Labour Force Survey indicated that the use of public transport for going to work is decreasing from year to year. In 2011, 22% of persons employed used public transport for going to work, in 2006 the respective indicator was 28% and in 2001 – 31%.

The number of passengers in international traffic was about 8.1 million, of which 6.3 million passengers in sea transport, nearly one million in road transport and 0.8 million passengers in air transport. The number of passengers in international traffic increased 10% compared to a year earlier. The passenger traffic volume of transport enterprises increased 5% compared to the previous year and in international passenger traffic the total growth was 12% mainly due to the increase in the passenger traffic volume of sea and air transport in international traffic. The passenger traffic volume of urban transport decreased 11% and in other domestic road transport 1%.

In 2011, transport enterprises carried over 81 million tonnes of goods or 3% more than a year earlier. The freight turnover was 15 billion tonne-kilometres. In 2011, the increase in freight turnover by 3% was mainly influenced by the road transport, where it increased by 22%. The freight turnover of rail and sea transport enterprises decreased by 6% and 28%, respectively. International transport covered 86% of the total freight turnover and increased by 3% during the year, in road transport even by 31%. In domestic traffic, the freight turnover decreased by 2%.

According to preliminary data, the loss of transport enterprises was 47 million euros in 2011. However, the loss was much smaller than a year earlier. The net sales of transport enterprises were 1.9 billion euros, which was 12% more than in 2010. The sales of carriage of goods gave over a half and the sales of carriage of passengers a fifth of the net sales. The sales of carriage of goods increased by 16% and the sales of carriage of passengers by 11% compared to the previous year. In 2011, the subsidies for passenger transport totalled 94 million euros, which was 11% more than a year earlier.

Passenger traffic volume is the volume of work done in the transport of passengers. It is measured in passenger-kilometres. One passenger-kilometre is the transport of one person one kilometre away.

Freight turnover is the volume of work done in the transport of goods. It is measured in tonne-kilometres. One tonne-kilometre (ton-km) is the transport of one tonne of goods one kilometre away.