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
The survey covers rail transport company.
3.6. Statistical population
The survey covers rail transport companies licensed to carry passengers and freight within the territory of the Republic of Lithuania and/or along international routes, having safety certificates.
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 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
Statistics on rail transport are compiled according to Regulation (EU) 2018/643 of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 April 2018 on rail transport statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
In the process of statistical data collection, processing and analysis and dissemination of statistical information, Statistics Lithuania fully guarantees the confidentiality of the data submitted by respondents (households, enterprises, institutions, organisations and other statistical units), as defined in the Confidentiality Policy Guidelines of Statistics Lithuania.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Statistical Disclosure Control Manual, approved by Order No DĮ-26 of 19 January 2024 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania;
The State Data Governance Information System Data Security Regulations and Rules for the Secure Management of Electronic Information in the State Data Governance Information System, approved by Order No DĮ-202 of 27 August 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.
8.1. Release calendar
Statistical information is published on the Official Statistics Portal according to the Official Statistics Calendar.
Statistical information is published following the Official Statistics Dissemination Policy Guidelines and Statistical Information Dissemination and Communication Rules of Statistics Lithuania approved by Order No DĮ-176 of 2 July 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.
The frequency of data dissemination is monthly, quarterly and annual.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
A news release on goods transport is published on the 82st day, after the end of the reference quarter.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Statistical information is published in the statistical publication Lithuania in figures.
Statistics Lithuania may, on the basis of contracts concluded with higher education institutions or research institutes, provide statistical data to researchers of these higher education institutions and research institutes to carry out specific statistical analyses for research purposes. Statistical data are provided in accordance with the provisions specified in the Description of Procedure for Data Depersonalisation and Pseudonymisation (only in Lithuanian). More information is available on the Official Statistics Portal, in the section Data Provision.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data on passenger and goods transport are provided to and published by Eurostat.
In 2007, a quality management system, conforming to the requirements of the international quality management system standard ISO 9001, was introduced at Statistics Lithuania. The main trends in activity of Statistics Lithuania aimed at quality management and continuous development in the institution are established in the Quality Policy. Monitoring of the quality indicators of statistical processes and their results and self-evaluation of statistical survey managers is regularly carried out in order to identify the areas which need improvement and to promptly eliminate the shortcomings. More information on assurance of quality of statistical information and its preparation is published in the Quality Management section on the Statistics Lithuania website.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Results are compared against those obtained in the previous period and the respective period of the previous year. Trends in goods and passenger transport time series are analysed. In case of significant discrepancies, data providers are contacted and reasons are determined. The data provider checks the statistical data and, if needed, sends back corrections or new, revised datasets.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users of statistical information are State and municipal authorities and agencies, international organisations, the media, research and business communities, students, whose needs are satisfied without a breach of the confidentiality principle.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
From 2005, user opinion surveys have been conducted on a regular basis. Official Statistics Portal traffic is monitored, website visitor opinion polls, general opinion poll on the products and services of Statistics Lithuania, target user group opinion polls and other surveys are conducted. In 2007, the compilation of a user satisfaction index was launched. The said surveys are aimed at the assessment of the overall demand for and necessity of statistical information in general and specific statistical indicators in particular.
All statistical indicators established by the legislation and their components are published.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Exhaustive statistical surveys of different periodicity are conducted.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Monthly statistics on goods transport are published on the 21st, quarterly – on the 52nd calendar day after the end of the reference quarter. Monthly statistics on passenger transport are published on the 52nd calendar day after the end of the reference month. Annual statistics on the length of railway lines, rolling stock, passenger arrivals and departures by country, railway accidents are published in the 6th month after the end of reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
Statistical information is published in accordance with an Official Statistics Calendar. In case of delay, users are notified in advance by indicating the reason and a new date of publication.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Statistical information is comparable across the EU.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Comparability over time is fully ensured.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Monthly, quarterly and annual information is internally coherent.
In 2022, one respondent, on average, spends 1 hour on the filling in of the statistical questionnaire on goods transport by rail (TG-01, monthly), 20 min. – passenger transport by rail (TG-06, monthly), 8 hours – goods transport by rail (TG-03, quarterly), 3 hours – rail transport (TG-02, annual).
The results published are final and not revised later.
18.1. Source data
Statistical data source: monthly and quarterly statistical survey on goods transport by rail, monthly statistical survey on passenger transport by rail, annual statistical survey on the rail, quinquennial (every five years) statistical survey on international goods and passenger transport by rail by EU region.
Administrative data sources: annual railway accidents statistics from the State Railway Inspectorate under the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Yearly, quarterly, monthly.
18.3. Data collection
The data are collected on the statistical questionnaires: monthly and quarterly statistical survey on goods transport by rail (TG-01, TG-03), monthly statistical survey on passenger transport by rail (TG-06), annual statistical survey on the rail (TG-02), quinquennial (every five years) statistical survey on international goods and passenger transport by rail by EU region (TG-07). Statistical report form is tested on a regular basis and, if necessary, upgraded in order to reduce statistical reporting burden to respondents.
The data are collected via the electronic statistical data preparation and transfer system e-Statistics.
18.4. Data validation
To ensure the quality of statistical data, the data are compared with the data of the previous year. Statistical analysis is performed. The trends of the time series are analyzed, the differing values of the statistical indicators are identified, the significant changes in the trends and their causes, as well as the correlations between the indicators and in case of significant deviations, the causes of the deviations and errors are corrected.
18.5. Data compilation
The compilation of quarterly statistics on rail goods transport and tonne-kilometres summarizes the data in the monthly statistical survey on freight transport by rail (TG-01). Data are revised after the submission of the quarterly statistical survey on goods transport by rail (TG-03). On the basis of the quarterly survey, annual data on goods transport and tonne-kilometres are calculated. On the basis of the monthly statistical survey on passenger transport by rail (TG-06), quarterly and annual statistics on passenger transport and passenger -kilometres are calculated. The process of compiling statistical indicators is described in more detail in the Rail transport statistical survey methodology (only in Lithuania).
18.6. Adjustment
Rail transport data are not seasonally adjusted.
No comment.
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.
28 March 2024
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.
The survey covers rail transport company.
The survey covers rail transport companies licensed to carry passengers and freight within the territory of the Republic of Lithuania and/or along international routes, having safety certificates.
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 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.
Exhaustive statistical surveys of different periodicity are conducted.
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 compilation of quarterly statistics on rail goods transport and tonne-kilometres summarizes the data in the monthly statistical survey on freight transport by rail (TG-01). Data are revised after the submission of the quarterly statistical survey on goods transport by rail (TG-03). On the basis of the quarterly survey, annual data on goods transport and tonne-kilometres are calculated. On the basis of the monthly statistical survey on passenger transport by rail (TG-06), quarterly and annual statistics on passenger transport and passenger -kilometres are calculated. The process of compiling statistical indicators is described in more detail in the Rail transport statistical survey methodology (only in Lithuania).
Statistical data source: monthly and quarterly statistical survey on goods transport by rail, monthly statistical survey on passenger transport by rail, annual statistical survey on the rail, quinquennial (every five years) statistical survey on international goods and passenger transport by rail by EU region.
Administrative data sources: annual railway accidents statistics from the State Railway Inspectorate under the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
The frequency of data dissemination is monthly, quarterly and annual.
Monthly statistics on goods transport are published on the 21st, quarterly – on the 52nd calendar day after the end of the reference quarter. Monthly statistics on passenger transport are published on the 52nd calendar day after the end of the reference month. Annual statistics on the length of railway lines, rolling stock, passenger arrivals and departures by country, railway accidents are published in the 6th month after the end of reference year.
Statistical information is comparable across the EU.
