European rail freight tonnage declines in 2025

European rail freight markets have been experiencing a downward trend since 2019. Following a brief recovery between 2021 and 2022, both freight mass and transport work have declined since 2023.

In 2025, 31 European countries transported a total of 1.5 billion tons of goods, representing a 3% decrease compared to 2024. Out of these 31 countries, 23 reported a decline in freight mass. The largest decreases occurred in Ukraine, Germany, and Poland, which together accounted for over 47% of the total market share. Specifically, Ukraine saw the largest absolute decrease of 13.6 million tons, while Germany and Poland recorded 328 million and nearly 218 million tons respectively.

In contrast, Norway saw the highest growth in mass, increasing by 4.7 million tons, a year-on-year dynamic of 15.9%. Other countries reporting growth included Austria (2.3%), France (1.2%), and Italy (0.5%). Ireland experienced the sharpest decline in dynamics at 37.7%, attributed to a short electrified rail network and infrastructure modernization in Dublin.