France monthly rail freight: national tonne-km
France monthly rail freight: national tonne-km stood at 1.6 billion tonne-km in Dec 2025, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the Monthly transport traffic table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1994 to Dec 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Monthly transport traffic table
| Indicator | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | 09-2025 | 08-2025 | 07-2025 | 06-2025 | 05-2025 | 04-2025 | 03-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonne-kilometres, total | 2.47 | 2.82 | 3.11 | 2.95 | 2.64 | 3.07 | 2.89 | 2.89 | 2.92 | 3.06 | |
| National transport | 1.6 | 1.77 | 1.98 | 1.87 | 1.72 | 1.96 | 1.82 | 1.76 | 1.85 | 1.89 | |
| International, entering France | 0.29 | 0.38 | 0.39 | 0.4 | 0.33 | 0.38 | 0.38 | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.42 |
Understanding france monthly rail freight: national tonne-km
Transport output for domestic rail freight measured in tonne-kilometres is tracked here, combining the weight of purely internal shipments with the exact distances they travel within the national borders. It excludes all cross-border and international transit hauls, focusing exclusively on domestic logistics productivity. This measure differs from simple domestic tonnage by reflecting the true geographical extent of internal supply chain transport.
Interpreting these domestic output figures requires accounting for internal industrial seasonality, network maintenance schedules, and localized transport bottlenecks. Early monthly estimates are routinely adjusted as waybill data is fully processed by network operators. Year-on-year comparisons provide the most reliable read on domestic transport demand by neutralizing recurring holiday shutdown periods. Observers should avoid comparing domestic tonne-kilometres directly with cross-border metrics, as internal supply chains operate under distinct geographic and industrial constraints.
Frequently asked questions
- What specific transport is included in national tonne-kilometres?
- Freight movements where both origin and destination are domestic, multiplied by their internal transit distance.
- How does this differ from the total national rail freight tonnage series?
- It incorporates haul distance, measuring transport output in tonne-kilometres rather than weight alone.
- Why do network maintenance programs impact this output measure?
- Track repairs can force freight trains onto longer diversion routes, artificially increasing tonne-kilometres without raising cargo weight.