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.
Trafikanalys Rosenlundsgatan 54 SE-118 63 Stockholm
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
3 July 2020
2.2. Metadata last posted
22 October 2020
2.3. Metadata last update
22 October 2020
3.1. Data description
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.
Categories for dangerous goods transported by rail are those defined in the regulation concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by rail, usually known as the RID, as adopted under Directive 2008/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.
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. Number of passengers means the number of trips by rail passengers, where each trip is defined as the movement from the place of embarkation to the place of disembarkation, with or without transfers from one rail vehicle to another. If passengers use the services of more than one railway undertaking, when possible they shall not be counted more than once 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 railway undertakings and regional public transport authorities (public service operators and a logistics company are also reporting units in the survey).
For annex V, statistical units are network segments.
3.6. Statistical population
The target population for passenger transport statistics are all passenger railway undertakings operating at national territory and regional public transport authorities during the reference period (the thresholds in the rail regulation is not applied).
The target population for freight transport statistics are all freight railway undertakings operating at national territory during the reference period (the thresholds mentioned in the rail regulation is not applied).
The target population for traffic are all railway undertakings operating at national territory during the reference period.
Exclude from all the target populations are: (a) railway undertakings which operate entirely or mainly within industrial and similar installations, including harbours; (b) railway undertakings which mainly provide local tourist services, such as preserved historical steam railways.
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 (transport performance). Passenger transport by rail is measured in the number of passengers and in passenger-kilometres (transport performance). 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: – 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
National level:
Transport Analysis is responsible to collect, compile and disseminate transport statistics in Sweden (by the regulation (SFS 2010:186) with instructions for Transport Analysis). The agency also has the task to send transport statistics to the European Commission when the Commission has issued a regulation.
Data collection is authorised by the law and regulation of official statistics (SFS 2001:99; 2001:100).
In the production of the rail statistics, Transport Analysis has commissioned the Swedish Transport Administration to collect and processing data.
European level:
Regulation (EU) No 2018/643 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 April 2018 on rail transport statistics (recast)
National legislation: Offentlighets- och sekretesslag (SFS 2009:400).
European legislation: REGULATION (EC) No 223/2009
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
To prevent disclosure of confidential data, we indicate confidential data according to the flag settings stated in the Reference Manual on Rail transport statistics.
All users gets access to the statistical data at the same time (at 09.30).
The dates for release are distributed in November, the year before publication, in the release calendar.
The tables that consist of annual data are disseminated annually. The tables that consists of quarter data are disseminated quarterly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Usually we have a press release at the same time as the annual data are published (in Sweden).
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Annual statistics are available in the publication Rail traffic. The main results are also highlighted in a summary report. Rail traffic contains more statistics that are collected for national puroses e.g. metro and tram statistics.
Quarertly statististics are available in the publication Railway transport.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Data sent to Eurostat (regulation (EU) 2018/643) are available in Eurostat's database. Select transport and look for railway transport.
Access to microdata, e.g. for researchers, are regulated in national legislation (SFS 2009:400). Researchers who want access to micro data has to apply for it by filling out a form (in Swedish).
A document describing different aspects of quality is released at the same time (and in the same place) as new statistics are released. It follows Statistics Sweden's handbook on Quality for Official Statistics of Sweden.
11.1. Quality assurance
The framwork for quality assurance can be found in:
Statistics Sweden is conducting a quality evaluation each year. Each statistical product are evaluated from different aspects of quality. A summary of the results are sent to the Swedish government.
Once a year, the cost (response burden as well as own production costs) of the production of statistics are summarized and displayed in an annual report.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The overall quality of the statistics is greatly influenced by the approximately 50 respondents' methods and ability to measure the variables in the survey.
We are performing extensive quality checks of the received data. For example, in these checks we make use of administrative data about the rail traffic from the Swedish Transport Administration. In case of any issues detected, the data providers are contacted and asked to provide an explanation or revise the data. By these checks, we assess the quality of the statistics as high.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Example of users of our national rail statistics are:
Transport agencies
Organizations linked to the railway
Railway companies
Universities
Media
The public
The statistics is used in investigations, evaluations, research reports, and articles.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Transport Analysis is collecting users opinions in many different ways. Users are often contacting Transport Analysis with questions about the statistics and sometimes with request of new statistics.
At least once a year, Transport Analysis is inviting important users of the statistics to discuss different aspects of quality (last meetings in November 2019). Users are also invited to forward their opinions of the statistics, which is the main purpose of these meetings. The agenda are either focusing of passenger transport statistics or freight transport statistics (all modes are discussed).
12.3. Completeness
One of the most common request is rail transport statistics divided by geographical areas, e.g. by county, municipality or line segment. Also transport flows are requested, as well as intermodal statistics.
There are requests of new variables e.g. compensation payments for operating costs (PSO traffic).
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The quality of the statistics is very dependent on all the data providers ability to submit the requested information. Data providers methods to produce the requested information varies, e.g. number of passengers may be based on ticket sales, traveling surveys och passenger countings. The number of passengers is also uncertain (overestimated) due to difficulties with keeping track of passengers switching trains.
Data providers may not know the true origin and destination of international passengers and goods which cause inconsistency with statistics from other countries.
Some of the data providers do not have quarterly data and have to estimate it. When the annual data are available, quarterly data gets revised.
13.2. Sampling error
Sampling errors don't exist.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Over/under coverage is rarely a problem since railway undertakings needs permission to conduct rail transports on the Swedish rail network. Under coverage may occur if a railway undertaking goes bankrupt before submitting data (rare).
Respondents receives a questionnaire in Excel format. The questionnaire only contains the questions relevant for the respondents. If the respondent did reply last year, those figures are included in the questionnaire. The questionnaire also contains direct quality checks, e.g. consistency checks.
All objects respond to the survey, but a few respondents do not answer all the questions. In case of nonresponse, data are imputed based on historical data and information about the rail traffic/transports from the Swedish transport administrations data warehouse. Our assessment is that nonrespons has little or no impact on the quality of the statistics.
If passengers use the services of more than one railway undertaking they can be counted more than once. To reduce this error we are collecting data about number of passengers using the services of more than one railway undertaking. But in many cases it's unknown for the respondents.
If the goods are transported using the services of more than one railway undertaking the weight of goods can be counted more than once. Some respondents sends detailed transport data which makes us able to identify and deduct goods that otherwise would have been counted more than once. Transport performance is not affected by this, but the distribution between national and international transport can be affected.
14.1. Timeliness
National statistics:
Quarterly statistics are published approximately 2,5 months after the end of a quarter.
Annual freight and passenger statistics are published approximately 6,5 months after the end of a year.
European statistics:
Data are transmitted to Eurostat in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2018/643 within the specified transmission deadlines.
14.2. Punctuality
All the statistics have been released/sent on-time.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Our data providers do not always know the true origin and destination of international passengers and goods which cause inconsistency with statistics from other countries. Besides that, it also affects the distribution between national (overestimate) and international (underestimate) transport performance.
All countries follow the same definitions set in regulation (EU) 2018/643 but the methods to collect data and compile the statistics can differ and make comparability between countries harder.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The statistics on goods transport are affected by two breaks in the time series:
Before 2009, the statistics do not include Norwegian transit from Norway to Norway through Sweden.
Data for 2018 are not comparable with previous years and are estimated at higher levels than before due to changed collection and processing methods. At the total level, there are indications, that transport performance are estimated 6-9 percent higher, and weight of goods 1-3 percent higher, than before.
Comparability over time are affected when respondents are using new methods to compile their figures. From 2017, some respentends uses a new method to calculate number of passenger and transport performance, which resulted in higher numbers.
Quarterly statistics may be influenced by seasonal effects.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Corresponding statistics for other modes of transport may use other definitions and methods to collect the statistical data. When processing statistics cross domain it is important to pay attention to differences that can exist. For example, in the rail statistics the weight of goods shall not be counted more than once if the goods are transported using services of more than one railway undertaking. For other modes of transport this is not the case.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Sub-totals do not always sum up to the total. This is due to roundings in the sub-totals.
When the annual statistics is published it can differ from the available quarterly statistics for the same timeperiod. Consistency between annual and quarterly statistics is achieved by revising the quarterly statistics in the next publication.
The total response burden is approximately 1 700 hours (incl. all rail statistics collected, both for sending to Eurostat and for our national statistics, Excl. annex IV-V in regulation (EU) 2018/643).
The total production cost is approximately 1 000 000 SEK.
Preliminary statistics are published quarterly. If necessary, the statistics are revised in the next publication (scheduled revisions). The statistics is considered as final when the annual statistics is published. The quarterly statistics are then revised one last time so that the annual figures are the same as the sum of quarters.
Final statistics can be revised in case of corrections need to be made e.g. if new information is available (non-scheduled revisions).
17.2. Data revision - practice
The size of the revisions are usually +/- a few percent.
18.1. Source data
We are conducting a survey to collect the data used to compile the statistics.
Administrative data are also used in some cases e.g. for quality controls, corrections and imputations. The statistics reported under annex V in regulation (EU) 2018/643 are also based on administrative data. The data origins from The Swedish Transport Administration's database for monitoring the train traffic.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Quarterly data are collected each quarter.
Annual data are collected annually.
Every five years data for annex IV-V in regulation (EU) 2018/643 are collected.
18.3. Data collection
The respondent receives a customized questionnaire in Excel format containing only the variables relevant to the respondent. If the respondent answered the questionnaire previous years, those figures are pre-filled. The questionnaire also contains information about the survey and variable definitions. The questionnaire has not undergoing any changes for many years.
In some cases the respondent are sending micro data instead of answering the questionnaire.
After the last response date, reminders are sent to those not yet answered the questionnaire (first by E-mail, then by phone). In case of non-response, we start to examine which information that can be used for imputation.
18.4. Data validation
When respondents are sending in their questionnaires they are validated. At first, we make sure that all parts of the questionnaire are filled correctly. Thereafter we start to check if the figures are reasonable by looking at time series. We also perform checks against administrative data. If necessary, the respondent is contacted again to seek explanations of large discrepancies. Sometimes the respondent wants to update their figures after we contacted them. Any corrections made at this point are logged.
In some cases, the respondent express a large uncertainty about their figures which can result in administrative data are used instead.
The compiled statistics are validated also and comparisons with other industries are made.
18.5. Data compilation
The data from respondents are summed up to statistical values.
Number of passengers is adjusted for the problem that a passenger can be counted more than once (if passengers use the services of more than one railway undertaking).
Goods transported (tonnes) is adjusted for the problem that weight of goods can be counted more than once (if the goods are transported using the services of more than one railway undertaking).
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
-
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.
22 October 2020
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. Number of passengers means the number of trips by rail passengers, where each trip is defined as the movement from the place of embarkation to the place of disembarkation, with or without transfers from one rail vehicle to another. If passengers use the services of more than one railway undertaking, when possible they shall not be counted more than once 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 railway undertakings and regional public transport authorities (public service operators and a logistics company are also reporting units in the survey).
For annex V, statistical units are network segments.
The target population for passenger transport statistics are all passenger railway undertakings operating at national territory and regional public transport authorities during the reference period (the thresholds in the rail regulation is not applied).
The target population for freight transport statistics are all freight railway undertakings operating at national territory during the reference period (the thresholds mentioned in the rail regulation is not applied).
The target population for traffic are all railway undertakings operating at national territory during the reference period.
Exclude from all the target populations are: (a) railway undertakings which operate entirely or mainly within industrial and similar installations, including harbours; (b) railway undertakings which mainly provide local tourist services, such as preserved historical steam railways.
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: – 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.
The quality of the statistics is very dependent on all the data providers ability to submit the requested information. Data providers methods to produce the requested information varies, e.g. number of passengers may be based on ticket sales, traveling surveys och passenger countings. The number of passengers is also uncertain (overestimated) due to difficulties with keeping track of passengers switching trains.
Data providers may not know the true origin and destination of international passengers and goods which cause inconsistency with statistics from other countries.
Some of the data providers do not have quarterly data and have to estimate it. When the annual data are available, quarterly data gets revised.
The volume and performance of rail freight traffic are measured in tonnes (mass) and tonne-kilometres (transport performance). Passenger transport by rail is measured in the number of passengers and in passenger-kilometres (transport performance). 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 data from respondents are summed up to statistical values.
Number of passengers is adjusted for the problem that a passenger can be counted more than once (if passengers use the services of more than one railway undertaking).
Goods transported (tonnes) is adjusted for the problem that weight of goods can be counted more than once (if the goods are transported using the services of more than one railway undertaking).
We are conducting a survey to collect the data used to compile the statistics.
Administrative data are also used in some cases e.g. for quality controls, corrections and imputations. The statistics reported under annex V in regulation (EU) 2018/643 are also based on administrative data. The data origins from The Swedish Transport Administration's database for monitoring the train traffic.
The tables that consist of annual data are disseminated annually. The tables that consists of quarter data are disseminated quarterly.
National statistics:
Quarterly statistics are published approximately 2,5 months after the end of a quarter.
Annual freight and passenger statistics are published approximately 6,5 months after the end of a year.
European statistics:
Data are transmitted to Eurostat in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2018/643 within the specified transmission deadlines.
Our data providers do not always know the true origin and destination of international passengers and goods which cause inconsistency with statistics from other countries. Besides that, it also affects the distribution between national (overestimate) and international (underestimate) transport performance.
All countries follow the same definitions set in regulation (EU) 2018/643 but the methods to collect data and compile the statistics can differ and make comparability between countries harder.
The statistics on goods transport are affected by two breaks in the time series:
Before 2009, the statistics do not include Norwegian transit from Norway to Norway through Sweden.
Data for 2018 are not comparable with previous years and are estimated at higher levels than before due to changed collection and processing methods. At the total level, there are indications, that transport performance are estimated 6-9 percent higher, and weight of goods 1-3 percent higher, than before.
Comparability over time are affected when respondents are using new methods to compile their figures. From 2017, some respentends uses a new method to calculate number of passenger and transport performance, which resulted in higher numbers.
Quarterly statistics may be influenced by seasonal effects.
