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.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
E3: Transport Statistics
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
2.1. Metadata last certified
24 January 2023
2.2. Metadata last posted
24 January 2023
2.3. Metadata last update
24 January 2023
3.1. Data description
The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and Eurostat have concluded an Administrative Agreement that includes, inter alia, the regular transmission and dissemination by Eurostat of ERA information related to the rail transport safety and to the interoperability of the rail system. Such information will meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) 643/2018 on rail statistics and respond to the requests of the European Parliament for new data. One of the requirements of the agreement is to publish data on lengths of lines/tracks equipped with the ERTMS (European Railway Traffic Management System) and data on the number of vehicles equipped with ERTMS.
Currently, one dataset is available, namely the Length of railway lines equipped with the railway traffic management system by type of signalling (rail_if_traff).
The data in this dataset comes from the databases and registers maintained by the European Union Agency for Railways. They are reported by Member States in accordance with applicable European legislation. Data in this table represent the length of lines equipped with ERTMS in the countries which have this equipment or which have available data.
For each section of a railway line, a parameter describes the ETCS (European Train Control System) available: track-based level (level 1), radio-signal (level 2) and signal directly from train (level 3) respectively. The aggregation is done for all levels of ETCS. The ETCS is one of the two components of the overall European Railway Traffic Management System.
The data will be produced for each Member State and on the annual basis with the reference date of January 1 of previous year.
ERTMS/ETCS statistics are defined in Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union and in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/777 of 16 May 2019 on the common specifications for the register of railway infrastructure and repealing Implementing Decision 2014/880/EU. They are reported by the Member States to the Register of Infrastructure (RINF) maintained by the ERA.
ERTMS is designed to gradually replace the existing incompatible systems throughout Europe. This will bring considerable benefits to the railway sector as it will boost international freight and passenger transport. In addition, ERTMS is the arguably the most performant train control system in the world and brings significant advantages in terms of maintenance, costs savings, safety, reliability, punctuality and traffic capacity.
3.2. Classification system
The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) has 2 components: the European Train Control System (ETCS) and the Global System for Mobile communications — Railways (GSM-R). Their specification is defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/777 of 16 May 2019 on the common specifications for the register of railway infrastructure.
The ETCS is implemented on three (3) levels:
Level 1 (track based level) involves continuous supervision of train movement while a non-continuous communication between train and trackside (normally by means of Euro-balises). Lineside signals are necessary and train detection is performed by the trackside equipment out of the scope of ERTMS.
Level 2 (radio signal) involves continuous supervision of train movement with continuous communication, which is provided by GSM-R, between both the train and trackside. Lineside signals are optional in this case, and train detection is performed by the trackside equipment out of the scope of ERTMS.
Level 3 (signal directly from train) is also a signaling system that provides continuous train supervision with continuous communication between the train and trackside. The main difference with level 2 is that the train location and integrity is managed within the scope of the ERTMS system, i.e. there is no need for lineside signals or train detection systems on the trackside other than Euro-balises. Train integrity is supervised by the train, i.e. the train supervises being complete and not having been accidentally split.
Length of tracks/lines equipped with ERTMS/ETCS refers to aggregated statistics available in the RINF. For each section of a railway line, a parameter is available for the description of the ETCS level available (levels 1-3). The aggregation is done for all levels of ETCS.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Rail transport.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Not applicable.
3.5. Statistical unit
Length of tracks and railway lines in kilometers (km).
3.6. Statistical population
ERTMS/ETCS statistics - tracks and lines that are part of the railway system of each Member State, as covered by the application of the Interoperability Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/797).
3.7. Reference area
Member States of the European Union; EFTA states.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data collection started in 2019 (ongoing).
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Microdata for individual sections of railway lines is collected with length in kilometers.
Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The data are retrieved from databases and registers maintained by ERA under the administrative agreement between Eurostat and European Agency for Railways.
The aggregated data are shared with the DG MOVE for the purpose of transport statistics reporting (e.g. statistical pocket book).
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
All data collected are reported under EU reporting obligations. No confidentiality policy is applicable.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not applicable.
8.1. Release calendar
Data is released after consolidation and aggregation, typically in March of each year.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice, Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Dissemination format') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Annually.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not applicable.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not applicable.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Quality assured datasets are available free of charge through Eurostat’s dissemination database, under the theme Transport. Aggregated annual data at national level are available in the table Length of railway lines equipped with the railway traffic management system by type of signalling (source: ERA) (rail_if_traff).
For each area, the quality is assured at the level of entry into database/register, by the data validation officer. As specified in the terms of use of RINF, ERA has no responsibility for or liability with regard to the information submitted and published in the database.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Internal and external quality assessment is carried out at least annually and/or ad-hoc, with the aim of data quality assurance.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Key users are: the European Commission, Directorate-General Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE); the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); the International Transport Forum (ITF).
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Dependent on the reporting of the competent national authority. In principle, the data shall be available for all EU member States as from 16 March 2019.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Common methodology is available, however accuracy of data could be impacted by human errors during parameters encoding.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
10-12 months after the reference period (calendar year).
14.2. Punctuality
The punctuality generally varies from country to country and from area to area, depending on the maturity of reporting process (a common reporting deadline exists but is not always respected by all countries).
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Geographical comparability is generally high. Common definitions and guidance for reporting process is available.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Comparability over time is generally high.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable, the datasets represent unique sets of data.
Published data is considered as stable. If errors should be reported, they are validated and result in corrections of the disseminated data.
18.1. Source data
ERTMS/ETCS statistics – At national level, data are queried in the respective database and national aggregates are made available.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
As per applicable legislation.
18.4. Data validation
High-level data validation (e.g. on format, type etc.) is carried out by ERA while Member States remain responsible for the quality of the content. As specified in the terms of use of the RINF, ERA has no responsibility for or liability with regard to the information submitted and published in the database.
18.5. Data compilation
ERA compiles data.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
Not available.
The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and Eurostat have concluded an Administrative Agreement that includes, inter alia, the regular transmission and dissemination by Eurostat of ERA information related to the rail transport safety and to the interoperability of the rail system. Such information will meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) 643/2018 on rail statistics and respond to the requests of the European Parliament for new data. One of the requirements of the agreement is to publish data on lengths of lines/tracks equipped with the ERTMS (European Railway Traffic Management System) and data on the number of vehicles equipped with ERTMS.
Currently, one dataset is available, namely the Length of railway lines equipped with the railway traffic management system by type of signalling (rail_if_traff).
The data in this dataset comes from the databases and registers maintained by the European Union Agency for Railways. They are reported by Member States in accordance with applicable European legislation. Data in this table represent the length of lines equipped with ERTMS in the countries which have this equipment or which have available data.
For each section of a railway line, a parameter describes the ETCS (European Train Control System) available: track-based level (level 1), radio-signal (level 2) and signal directly from train (level 3) respectively. The aggregation is done for all levels of ETCS. The ETCS is one of the two components of the overall European Railway Traffic Management System.
The data will be produced for each Member State and on the annual basis with the reference date of January 1 of previous year.
ERTMS/ETCS statistics are defined in Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union and in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/777 of 16 May 2019 on the common specifications for the register of railway infrastructure and repealing Implementing Decision 2014/880/EU. They are reported by the Member States to the Register of Infrastructure (RINF) maintained by the ERA.
ERTMS is designed to gradually replace the existing incompatible systems throughout Europe. This will bring considerable benefits to the railway sector as it will boost international freight and passenger transport. In addition, ERTMS is the arguably the most performant train control system in the world and brings significant advantages in terms of maintenance, costs savings, safety, reliability, punctuality and traffic capacity.
24 January 2023
Not applicable.
Length of tracks and railway lines in kilometers (km).
ERTMS/ETCS statistics - tracks and lines that are part of the railway system of each Member State, as covered by the application of the Interoperability Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/797).
Member States of the European Union; EFTA states.
Calendar year.
Common methodology is available, however accuracy of data could be impacted by human errors during parameters encoding.
Microdata for individual sections of railway lines is collected with length in kilometers.
ERA compiles data.
ERTMS/ETCS statistics – At national level, data are queried in the respective database and national aggregates are made available.
Annually.
10-12 months after the reference period (calendar year).
Geographical comparability is generally high. Common definitions and guidance for reporting process is available.
