Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Mandatory data collection at EU level is based on legal act, the Regulation EU 2018/643 and covers goods and passengers. Data is collected as following:
Annex I (annual data) –goods transport ,
Annex II (annual data)–passenger transport,
Annex III – (quarterly data) goods and passengers,
Annex IV and V( data every five years) regional statistics on goods and passengers and rail network and
Annex VIII (annual data) goods and passengers transport for small undertakings.
The codes of regions used in the region-to-region statistics are indicated in Regulation (EC) 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Railway undertakings providing transport of passengers or goods.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The main concepts used in rail domain are:
Rail passenger means any person, excluding members of the train crew, who makes a trip by rail. For accident statistics, passengers trying to embark/disembark onto/from a moving train are included. Passenger-km means the unit of measure representing the transport of one passenger by rail over a distance of one kilometer. Only the distance on the national territory of the reporting country shall be taken into account. Weight means the quantity of goods in tonnestones (1 000 kilograms). The weight to be taken into consideration includes, in addition to the weight of the goods transported, the weight of packaging and the tare weight of containers, swap bodies, pallets as well as road vehicles transported by rail in the course of combined transport operations. If the goods are transported using the services of more than one railway undertaking, when possible the weight of goods shall not be counted more than once. Tonne-km means the unit of measure of goods transport which represents the transport of one tonne (1 000 kilograms) of goods by rail over a distance of one kilometer. Only the distance on the national territory of the reporting country shall be taken into account. Train means one or more railway vehicles hauled by one or more locomotives or railcars, or one railcar travelling alone, running under a given number or specific designation from an initial fixed point to a terminal fixed point. A light engine, that is to say, a locomotive travelling on its own, is not considered to be a train. Train-km means the unit of measure representing the movement of a train over one kilometre. The distance used is the distance actually run, if available, otherwise the standard network distance between the origin and destination shall be used. Only the distance on the national territory of the reporting country shall be taken into account.
3.5. Statistical unit
Statistical units for rail transport statistics are all railway stations.
3.6. Statistical population
Data on passenger and freight transport are collected from the railway undertakings operating at national territory within thresholds mentioned in the rail regulation. Data on traffic are collected from infrastructure managers and railway undertakings.
3.7. Reference area
Operational railway network on national territory.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data on passengers and goods are covered from 2004 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
The volume and performance of rail freight traffic are measured in tonnes (mass) and tonne-kilometres. Passenger transport by rail is measured in the number of passengers and in passenger-kilometres. Information on the number of train kilometres is also available. Traffic flows on the rail network are measured in number of trains - passenger, freight and others (optional).
The tables consist mostly of annual data. There are some tables providing quarterly and quinquennial (every five years) data.
According to the Rail regulation (EU) 2018/643 data is collected as following: Annual data
Annex I –goods transport collected for a reference period of one year with a deadline for data transmission as 5 months after the reference periodreference period,
Annex II –passenger transport, yearly data with eight months deadline after the end of reference period
Annex III – quarterly data for goods and passengers with a deadline of three months after the end of the reference period,
Annex IV and V data every five years on regional statistics on goods and passengers and rail network with deadline of 12 respectively 18 months after the end of reference period and
Annex VIII goods and passengers transport for small undertakings with 5 respectively 8 months deadline after the end of reference period.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
With the effect from 2016, Regulation 2032/2016 has been replaced the Regulation 91/2003. From 2018, the legal basis for rail transport statistics, is the Regulation 643/2018.(recast)
Regulation 91/2003 was amended by "Commission Regulation (EC) No 1192/2003 of 3 July 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 91/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on rail transport statistics", which gives common definitions for the terms used in the basic act and modifies slightly the Annex related to accident statistics.
In Finland compilation of statistics is regulated by the Statistics Act (280/2004).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
In Finland compilation of statistics is regulated by the Statistics Act (280/2004).
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
If the data are declared confidential it is not disseminated.
8.1. Release calendar
Statistics Finland's release calendar lists in advance all the statistical data and publications to be released over the year. Statistical releases can be found under statistics-specific releases. Statistical data are released on the Internet at 8 am, unless otherwise indicated. The calendar is updated on weekdays. Statistics Finland's release calendar for the coming year is published every year in December.
Annual and quarterly railway statistics is released according to release calendar on the website of Statistics Finland. Data are released to all users at the same time.
Annually. Regarding passenger and freight traffic, data are also published quarterly.
The Code of Practice concerns the independence and accountability of statistical authorities and the quality of processes and data to be published. The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Division and are supplementary to them. The principles are also compatible with those of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM).
Principles of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM)
The principles of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) are employed by Statistics Finland as its the overall framework for quality management. The EFQM model is applied as a self-assessment and development tool for Statistics Finland's management and strategic guidance, for instance.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Railways statistics covers Finland's railways transport comprehensive, because railway transport is closed system.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The basic users of rail statistics are:
universities/research institutes
consultants
international and governmental bodies
railway undertakings
National Statistical Institutes
press and private users
Railway data users are mostly interested in:
passenger and freight transport data
network traffic
Rail statistics are mostly used for:
trend analysis
forecasting
modeling
market research
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction is followed with the feedback from the data users. Customer satisfaction is followed with yearly customer satisfaction survey.
12.3. Completeness
Railway data collected within the scope of the legal acts are complete.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Railways statistics covers Finland's railways transport comprehensive, because railway transport is closed system.
13.2. Sampling error
not applicable
13.3. Non-sampling error
not applicable
14.1. Timeliness
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.
14.2. Punctuality
Data is published according to release calendar.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data is geographically comparable in Finland's railway network.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Basic information is comparable over time. There has been some changes for classifications over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
There is no other regular railway statistics in Finland. Railway operators may release transport statistics based on their own business.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The data is internally coherent.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Statistics is final.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not available.
18.1. Source data
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. Part of the data is connected to monitoring of sales and part to separate registers.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data is collected mainly annualy. Data on transport of goods and passenger is collected also quarterly.
18.3. Data collection
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. Part of the data is connected to monitoring of sales and part to separate registers.
18.4. Data validation
Experts validate data before publishing.
18.5. Data compilation
Not available.
18.6. Adjustment
Not requested.
Not available.
Mandatory data collection at EU level is based on legal act, the Regulation EU 2018/643 and covers goods and passengers. Data is collected as following:
Annex I (annual data) –goods transport ,
Annex II (annual data)–passenger transport,
Annex III – (quarterly data) goods and passengers,
Annex IV and V( data every five years) regional statistics on goods and passengers and rail network and
Annex VIII (annual data) goods and passengers transport for small undertakings.
27 August 2025
The main concepts used in rail domain are:
Rail passenger means any person, excluding members of the train crew, who makes a trip by rail. For accident statistics, passengers trying to embark/disembark onto/from a moving train are included. Passenger-km means the unit of measure representing the transport of one passenger by rail over a distance of one kilometer. Only the distance on the national territory of the reporting country shall be taken into account. Weight means the quantity of goods in tonnestones (1 000 kilograms). The weight to be taken into consideration includes, in addition to the weight of the goods transported, the weight of packaging and the tare weight of containers, swap bodies, pallets as well as road vehicles transported by rail in the course of combined transport operations. If the goods are transported using the services of more than one railway undertaking, when possible the weight of goods shall not be counted more than once. Tonne-km means the unit of measure of goods transport which represents the transport of one tonne (1 000 kilograms) of goods by rail over a distance of one kilometer. Only the distance on the national territory of the reporting country shall be taken into account. Train means one or more railway vehicles hauled by one or more locomotives or railcars, or one railcar travelling alone, running under a given number or specific designation from an initial fixed point to a terminal fixed point. A light engine, that is to say, a locomotive travelling on its own, is not considered to be a train. Train-km means the unit of measure representing the movement of a train over one kilometre. The distance used is the distance actually run, if available, otherwise the standard network distance between the origin and destination shall be used. Only the distance on the national territory of the reporting country shall be taken into account.
Statistical units for rail transport statistics are all railway stations.
Data on passenger and freight transport are collected from the railway undertakings operating at national territory within thresholds mentioned in the rail regulation. Data on traffic are collected from infrastructure managers and railway undertakings.
Operational railway network on national territory.
The tables consist mostly of annual data. There are some tables providing quarterly and quinquennial (every five years) data.
According to the Rail regulation (EU) 2018/643 data is collected as following: Annual data
Annex I –goods transport collected for a reference period of one year with a deadline for data transmission as 5 months after the reference periodreference period,
Annex II –passenger transport, yearly data with eight months deadline after the end of reference period
Annex III – quarterly data for goods and passengers with a deadline of three months after the end of the reference period,
Annex IV and V data every five years on regional statistics on goods and passengers and rail network with deadline of 12 respectively 18 months after the end of reference period and
Annex VIII goods and passengers transport for small undertakings with 5 respectively 8 months deadline after the end of reference period.
Railways statistics covers Finland's railways transport comprehensive, because railway transport is closed system.
The volume and performance of rail freight traffic are measured in tonnes (mass) and tonne-kilometres. Passenger transport by rail is measured in the number of passengers and in passenger-kilometres. Information on the number of train kilometres is also available. Traffic flows on the rail network are measured in number of trains - passenger, freight and others (optional).
Not available.
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. Part of the data is connected to monitoring of sales and part to separate registers.
Annually. Regarding passenger and freight traffic, data are also published quarterly.
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.
Data is geographically comparable in Finland's railway network.
Basic information is comparable over time. There has been some changes for classifications over time.
