Autorité de Régulation des Transports (ART) in France released a report summarising the key outcomes of the year 2022.
Regarding network restructuring, there was an additional reduction of 600 km of tracks due to low usage in France. At the same time, there were efforts to optimise the network in line with changing travel patterns. Generally, the average age of the most used tracks across the national railway network (RFN) is 22 years.
In 2022, the network hadn't recovered to the pre-pandemic traffic levels of 2019, showing significant disparities in usage between peak hours and nighttime traffic.
Infrastructure managers' toll revenues declined by 1% in real terms compared to 2019, despite a nominal increase of 8%. The network maintenance costs decreased by 69% in real terms over five years, with an increase for non-high-speed main lines.
The rail transport modal share surpassed 10% in 2022, outperforming other public transport modes.
In 2022, the French freight rail segment experienced a mixed performance. The first semester showed stability, but the second semester saw a decline, influenced by rising energy costs and socio-political factors like pension reform protests.
The passenger rail segment, however, displayed a strong rebound, with a 9% increase in train kilometres compared to 2019. This resurgence was mainly driven by regional services (TER-Intercités), indicating a growing preference for rail travel in regional areas. These developments reflect the dynamic nature of the French railway market in responding to external challenges and changing travel patterns.
