Multimodal transport
Modal split
Modal split measures the composition of transport performance, meaning the importance of each mode of transport in the total freight or passenger transport. It is defined as the percentage of each mode of transport in total transport performance.
Transport performance follows the territoriality principle, which means that only freight and passenger transport performed within the territory of a country is considered.
The indicators on modal split of freight transport cover 5 modes:
- air
- maritime
- road
- rail
- inland waterways.
The indicators on modal split of passenger transport cover 4 modes:
- road: passenger cars, buses and coaches, and trolley buses
- rail: trains
- air: aircrafts
- maritime: seagoing vessels.
Data are expressed in tonne-kilometres for freight or passenger-kilometres for passenger transport.
In addition, there are also indicators covering only inland transport:
- for freight: road, rail and inland waterways
- for passenger: road (passenger cars, buses and coaches) and rail (trains).
Modal split indicators are published approximately 15 to 18 months after the end of the reference year.
Intermodal transport
Intermodal transport statistics cover:
- the freight unitisation rate: This rate measures transport in containers and other intermodal transport units (ITU) as share of the total freight transport performance by the respective transport mode;
- the potential for modal shift in road freight transport: This relates to the transport of laden containers by road over distances of 300 kilometres or more to the total road ITU transport.
Eurostat produces 4 intermodal indicators that describe the freight unitisation rate in 4 modes of transport. A fifth indicator compares unitisation across these modes of transport at EU level.
The 5 indicators are:
- unitisation road freight transport, based on tonnes-kilometres for gross weight of goods
- unitisation in rail freight transport, based on tonnes-kilometres for gross-gross weight of goods
- unitisation in inland waterways freight transport, based on tonnes-kilometres for gross-gross weight of goods
- unitisation in maritime freight transport, based on tonnes for gross weight of goods
- unitisation in the different modes of transport, based on tonnes-kilometres for gross weight of goods.
Eurostat also compiles 2 additional indicators on the potential for modal shift in road freight transport:
- modal shift potential of long-distance road freight in containers (based on TKM)
- modal shift potential of long-distance road freight in containers (based on tonnes)
Intermodal indicators are produced annually and are usually published approximately 15 to 18 months after the reference period.