Statistics Explained

Transport equipment statistics

Data extracted in December 2023 (all, except air transport equipment) and January 2024 (air transport equipment)

Planned update: December 2024

Highlights

The EU Member States reported an average increase of 14.3 % in the motorisation rates of passenger cars over the last 10 years (2012–2022), with the highest increase recorded in Romania (86.2 %).
In 2022, Lithuania had the highest number of road tractors per thousand inhabitants (17.3) in the EU.
alt- an image showing the share of passenger cars, by fuel type in the year 2022.

Transport statistics include information on transport equipment - the type and number of vehicles/vessels/aircraft that are used and their age. This article provides information related to transport equipment in the European Union for four modes of transport: railway, road, inland waterway and air.


Full article

Railway transport equipment: more electrical energy, fewer seats

By 2022, the use of electricity as a source of power for locomotives had increased over the years in most EU Member States (Table 1). However, in 2022, diesel was still exclusively used by locomotives in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Electricity was the main source of power for railcars in 11 EU Member States among the 19 for which information is available: Belgium (2021 data), Denmark, Spain, France, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland (2020 data), Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden (Table 2).

a table showing the share of locomotives by type of source of power in the years 2005, 2012, 2022, in the EU, EU Member States, and some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 1: Share of locomotives by type of source of power, 2005, 2012, 2022 (%)
Source: Eurostat (rail_eq_locon)


a table showing the share of railcars by type of source of power in the years 2005, 2012, 2022, in the EU, EU Member States, and some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 2: Share of railcars by type of source of power, 2005, 2012, 2022 (%)
Source: Eurostat (rail_eq_locon)

Since 2012, only a few EU Member States have reported increases in the national capacity (number of seats) of passenger railway vehicles: Luxembourg, Slovenia, Finland (up to 2018) and Sweden (Table 3). For most EU Member States for which data are available, however, decreases ranging from -7.2 % (Czechia) to -58.9 % (Estonia) were recorded.

a table showing the Capacity of passenger railway vehicles, 2012-2022 in the EU, EU Member States, and some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countires.
Table 3: Capacity of passenger railway vehicles, 2012-2022 (thousand seats)
Source: Eurostat (rail_eq_pa_csb)


Privatisation in the railway transport sector does not make it easy to compile the number of passenger railway vehicles in the individual countries. Figure 1 shows the number for selected countries. As a large country with an extensive railway network, France stands out with a total number of 25 337 vehicles in 2022, followed at a considerable distance by Poland (7 164) and Spain (4 227). The relative significance of passenger rail transport is also reflected in eastern EU Member States, with comparatively high numbers in Czechia, Romania and Hungary.


two vertical bar charts with separate axis showing the passenger railway vehicles in the year 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 1: Passenger railway vehicles, 2022 (number)
Source: Eurostat (rail_eq_pa_nty)


Road transport equipment: positive trend of passenger car fleet, but new fall in the renewal rate

Increase in motorisation rate of passenger cars in the majority of EU Member States between 2012 and 2022

The EU Member States reported an increase of 14.3 % in the motorisation rate of passenger cars (number per thousand inhabitants) in the period 2012-2022 (Table 4). Passenger cars are road motor vehicles, other than a moped or a motorcycle, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than nine persons (including the driver). Romania (86.2 %), Croatia (44.8 %) and Hungary (40.9 %) recorded the highest increases when comparing 2022 with 2012 data. Latvia (414), Romania (417) and Hungary (424) reported the lowest rates in 2022. Italy (684), Luxembourg (678), Finland (661) and Cyprus (658) recorded the highest rates.

a table showing the motorisation rate of passenger cars from the year 2012 to the year 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 4: Motorisation rate of passenger cars, 2012-2022 (number of passenger cars / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_carhab)

In 2022, half of the passenger cars in a typical EU country had a petrol engine

In 11 out of 23 EU Member States for which 2022 data are available, more than 50 % of the cars were petrol cars (Figure 2). The Netherlands reported the highest percentage of petrol cars (85.2 %), followed by Cyprus (78.2 %), Finland (72.6 %) and Denmark (68.6 %). Diesel-driven cars exceeded the 50 % threshold in Lithuania (67.0 %), Latvia (65.9 %), Ireland (57.2 %), Portugal (56.5 %), Croatia (55.8 %), Spain (54.3 %), France (53.4 %), Austria (52.3 %), Romania (50.2 %) and Slovenia (50.1 %). Alternative fuels (excluding hybrid vehicles) made a significant contribution in Italy (10.0 %), Sweden (8.3 %) and Lithuania (7.1 %). The large share of alternative energy cars in Türkiye is explained by LPG cars, either initially registered so, or converted from conventional cars. On the other hand, the significant share of alternative fuel in Norway (20.1 %) is mainly driven by battery-only electric cars (BEV).

a stacked bar chart showing the share of passenger cars, by fuel type in the year 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 2: Share of passenger cars, by fuel type, 2022 (%)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_carpda)

Renewal of the passenger car fleet: new fall compared to 2021

In 2022, the renewal rate of passenger cars (ratio of first-registered to total passenger cars, excluding imported second-hand vehicles) in the EU ranged from 1.0 % in Bulgaria to 9.5 % in Luxembourg (Table 5). Renewal rates have tended to slow down in the majority of EU Member States since 2012, but between 2017 and 2019 an increase in the rates had been registered in some countries (Germany, France, the Netherlands and Romania). From 2020 to 2022, the renewal rates dropped again in all EU Member States.

a table showing the renewal rate of passengers cars from the year 2012 to 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 5: Renewal rate of passenger cars, 2012-2022 (first-registered passenger cars / total passenger cars, %)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqr_carmot) and (road_eqs_carmot)

Motorisation rate of goods vehicles: highest in Portugal, Cyprus and Finland

In 2022, the motorisation rate of lorries and road tractors in the EU varied from 46 lorries and road tractors per thousand inhabitants in Germany to 135 in Portugal (Table 6). These variations are probably partly due to the fact that EU Member States register very light lorries and vans differently. Besides Portugal, Cyprus (131), Finland (127), Poland (109), Estonia (105) and Malta (101) also recorded rates above 100. By contrast, besides Germany, low rates were recorded in Latvia (51), Lithuania (53) and Croatia (58). Between 2012 and 2022, the trend was not consistent among EU Member States. Eastern EU Member States recorded the highest increases, especially Romania (79.5 %), Croatia (78.5 %), Estonia (57.6 %), Hungary (42.7 %), Latvia (36.0 %) and Bulgaria (34.9 %). On the other hand, Spain (-23.3 %), France (-9.7 %), Cyprus (-0.6 ) and Malta (-0.2 %) recorded decreases.

a table showing the motorisation rate of lorries and road tractors from the year 2012 to the year 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 6: Motorisation rate of lorries and road tractors, 2012-2022 (number of lorries and road tractors / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_lorroa_h), (road_eqs_lorroa) and (demo_pjan)

Regarding renewal rates of lorries and road tractors, among those EU Member States for which data are available, four recorded rates above 7 % in 2022: Luxembourg (9.8 %), Denmark (8.4 %), Lithuania (8.3 %) and Germany (7.4 %) (Figure 3). By contrast, the lowest renewal rates were in Malta (1.4 %), Cyprus (1.7 %) and Bulgaria (1.8 %). These rates are not supposed to include imported second-hand vehicles[1], which can constitute significant numbers in many countries.

a horizontal bar chart with two bars showing the renewal rate of lorries and road tractors in the years 2012 and 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 3: Renewal rate of lorries and road tractors, 2012 and 2022 (lorries and road tractors first registration / total lorries and road tractors, %)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqr_tracmot), (road_eqr_lormot), (road_eqs_lorroa), (road_eqr_tracm), (road_eqr_lorrin_h) and (road_eqs_lorroa_h)

Increase in motorisation rate of road tractors in the majority of EU Member States between 2012 and 2022

The EU Member States reported an increase of 45.2 % in the motorisation rate of road tractors (number per thousand inhabitants) in the period 2012–2022 (Table 7). Eastern EU Member States recorded the highest increases when comparing 2022 with 2012 data: Romania (127.4 %), Croatia (121.5 %), Lithuania (101.8 %), Poland (91.2 %), Slovenia (82.9 %), Ireland (76.0 %) and Hungary (75.9 %). On the contrary, Czechia (-61.9 %), Luxembourg (-15.4 %) and Malta (-13.0 %) recorded decreases during the period 2012-2022. Lithuania (17.3), Poland (12.9), Estonia (9.5) and Hungary (9.3) reported the highest rates in 2022. Czechia (0.3), Sweden (0.9), Malta and Austria (both 2.2) and Cyprus and Greece (both 2.3) recorded the lowest rates.

a table showing the motorisation rate of road tractors from the year 2012 to the year 2022, in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 7: Motorisation rate of road tractors, 2012-2022 (number of road tractors / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_lorroa_h), (road_eqs_lorroa) and (demo_pjan)


a horizontal bar chart with two bars showing the motorisation rate of road tractors for the years 2012 and 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 4: Motorisation rate of road tractors, 2012 and 2022 (number of road tractors / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_lorroa_h), (road_eqs_lorroa) and (demo_pjan)

Inland waterway transport equipment: large differences across countries

Global decrease in number of inland waterway vessels since 2005

In the last 17 years (2005–2022), there was a global decrease of approximately 20 % in total number of inland waterway vessels, especially in the largest countries for which data are available (Germany, Romania, Belgium, France). The Netherlands recorded a global decrease by 11.2 % since 2013. Between 2005 and 2022, significant increases in the number of self-propelled vessels were observed in Bulgaria (173 %), Croatia (133 %) and Finland (36 %). However, the increases in the three aforementioned countries must be put into perspective, as these EU Member States have only recently developed their previously small fleets. In 2022, Croatia's self-propelled vessel fleet only included 14 units, Bulgaria's 30 and Finland's 183 (Table 8).

a table showing the inland waterway vessels in selected countries in 2022 in the EU member states, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries.
Table 8: Inland waterway vessels, selected countries, 2022 (number, % change since 2005)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_age) and (iww_eq_loadcap)

In 2022, self-propelled vessels accounted for 71.7 % of total loading capacity in the Netherlands, 72.7 % in Germany and 59.6 % in France. In Romania, dumb and pushed vessels (87.0 %) accounted for the majority of load capacity, while in Belgium the share of the load capacity of self-propelled vessels and dumb and pushed vessels was 49.5 % and 50.5 %, respectively (Figure 5).

a horizontal bar chart showing the total loading capacity of self-propelled vessels and dumb and pushed vessels in the top 5 countries in the year 2022.
Figure 5: Total loading capacity of self-propelled vessels and dumb and pushed vessels, top 5 countries, 2022 (thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_loadcap)

The percentage of self-propelled vessels with medium loading capacity (from 1 000 to 2 999 tonnes) stood at over 50 % in Bulgaria (95.1 %), Slovakia (94.4 %), Croatia (73.3 %), Romania (68.8 %), France (58.4 %) and the Netherlands (52.3 %). Only Belgium and the Netherlands recorded a high share (> 40 %) of high loading capacity (3 000 tonnes and over) self-propelled vessels (Figure 6).

a horizontal stacked bar chart showing the share of self-propelled vessels by load capacity in selected countries in the year 2022, in some EU Member States and Serbia.
Figure 6: Share of self-propelled vessels by load capacity, selected countries, 2022 (%)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_loadcap)

Concerning dumb and pushed vessels, the ones with load capacity from 1 000 to 2 999 tonnes had the highest share in Bulgaria (99.4 %), Slovakia (95.5 %), Romania (93.5 %), France (73.3 %), Croatia (71.0 %) and the Netherlands (63.4 %). Belgium and the Netherlands had again the highest shares of high load capacity (3 000 tonnes and over) dumb and pushed vessels (Figure 7).


a horizontal stacked bar chart showing the share of dumb and pushed vessels by load capacity in selected countries in the year 2022 in some EU Member States and Serbia.
Figure 7: Share of dumb and pushed vessels by load capacity, selected countries, 2022 (%)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_loadcap)

Air transport equipment: Germany still records the largest aircraft fleet

Largest commercial aircraft fleet among EU recorded in Germany in 2021

In 2022, Germany, Spain, France and Malta recorded the largest numbers of commercial aircraft operated by EU Member States (see Figure 8). The largest aircraft fleet was in Germany (1 058 aircraft accounting for a 19 % share of the EU total), followed by Spain (548; 10 % share), France (503; 9 % share), Malta (492; 9 % share), Austria (415; 7 % share) and Ireland (386; 7 % share). In terms of the number of aircraft per million inhabitants, Malta (924) and Luxembourg (165) held the highest values, while Italy, Slovakia (3) and Romania (2) had the lowest.

Figure 8: EU commercial aircraft fleet by operator country, top 10 countries, 2022 (%)
Source: Eurostat (avia_eq_arc_typ)alt= a pie chart showing the EU commercial aircraft fleet by operator country for the top 10 countries in the EU Member States in the year 2022.

When looking at the breakdown by country of aircraft registration (avia_eq_arc_typreg), the top-10 countries with the highest values remain the same (but France becomes number 2, Spain number 3 and Ireland number 4). The same applies for the top-5 lowest values.

Besides the fleet size, Eurostat collects data on the category of aircraft. In 2022, there were 5 646 commercial aircraft operated by EU Member States, a 4.5 % increase compared with 2012. Around 59 % of the commercial aircraft in the EU were used to carry passengers, while cargo aircraft accounted for 6.7 % (Figure 9). Quick-change aircraft (0.1 %) only made up a tiny fraction of the commercial fleet in the EU. Around 35 % of the commercial fleet were 'other aircraft', this category includes mainly business/corporate/executive aircraft but also special purpose/ambulance aircraft.

a pie chart showing the commercial aircraft operated by EU Member States in the year 2022.
Figure 9: Commercial aircraft operated by EU Member States, 2022 (%)
Source: Eurostat (avia_eq_arc_typ)

Source data for tables and graphs

Data sources

Eurostat collects data on transport using the Common Questionnaire on Inland Transport Statistics developed by the UNECE, ITF and Eurostat and the Eurostat Questionnaire on Air Transport Statistics. Data are classified according to the transport mode and, particularly for transport equipment, refer to vehicles, vessels, containers and aircraft:

  • Railway transport: covers locomotives, railcars, passenger railway vehicles and wagons.
  • Road transport covers: mopeds, motorcycles, passenger cars, motor coaches, buses and trolley buses, lorries and road tractors, trailers and semi-trailers are included in this category. Data refer to the total number of vehicles as well as to new registrations.
  • New motor vehicles registered during the year (= first registered vehicles): the new motor vehicles registered during the year are those motor vehicles that are first-time registered as new in a motor vehicle register, irrespective of the nationality of the register.
  • Imported second-hand vehicles are not first-time registered but should be regarded as re-registered vehicles. Thus, should not be included in the number of new motor vehicles registered first time during the year.
  • Inland waterway transport covers freight vessels, classified according to the load capacity and date of construction.
  • Air transport covers commercial aircraft only, by type and age of aircraft.

Most data have been available since 1990 (in some cases since 1970) and are collected for the EU, EFTA and EU candidate countries and potential candidates. Not all data are available for all EU Member States, which makes it difficult to derive EU averages.

Context

The 'European Green Deal' of 11 December 2019 (COM(2019) 640 final) is the Commission's plan to make the EU's economy sustainable. Its aim is to turn climate and environmental challenges into opportunities and make the transition just and inclusive for all. The European Green Deal provides an action plan to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy restore biodiversity and cut pollution. The EU aims to be climate neutral in 2050.

In its Communication of 9 December 2020 (COM(2020) 789 final), the Commission sets out its 'Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy'. It outlines that by far the most serious challenge facing the transport sector is to significantly reduce its emissions and become more sustainable. At the same time, this transformation offers great opportunities for better quality of life and for European industry across the value chains to modernise, create high-quality jobs, develop new products and services, strengthen competitiveness and pursue global leadership as other markets are moving fast towards zero-emission mobility.

This strategy comprises a roadmap for putting European transport firmly on the right track for a sustainable and smart future. Various milestones are set out to show the European transport system's path towards achieving the objectives of a sustainable, smart and resilient mobility, thereby indicating the necessary ambition for future policies. These milestones comprise:

  • By 2030, at least 30 million zero-emission vehicles will be in operation on European roads and high-speed rail traffic will double.
  • By 2035, zero-emission large aircraft will become ready for market.
  • By 2050, nearly all cars, vans, buses as well as new heavy-duty vehicles will be zero emission, rail freight traffic will double and high-speed rail traffic will triple.


Direct access to

Other articles
Tables
Database
Dedicated section
Publications
Methodology
Visualisations





Railway transport (rail)
Road transport (road)
Inland waterways transport (iww)
Air transport (avia)
Railway transport equipment (rail_eq)
  • Road transport (road), see:
Road transport equipment — Stock of vehicles (road_eqs)
Road transport equipment — New registration of vehicles (road_eqr)
  • Inland waterways transport (iww), see:
Inland waterways transport equipment (iww_eq)
  • Air transport (avia), see:
Air transport equipment (avia_eq)

Notes

  1. ↑ Imported second-hand vehicles are not first-time registered but should be regarded as re-registered vehicles. The new motor vehicles registered during the year are those motor vehicles that are first-time registered as new in a motor vehicle register, irrespective of the nationality of the register.
Retrieved from "https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Transport_equipment_statistics&oldid=637782"
  • Page
  • ISSN 2443-8219