France regional rail freight tonne-km: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
France regional rail freight tonne-km: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes stood at 2,491.06 million tonne-km in 2025, according to SDES – Service des données et études statistiques (Ministère de la Transition écologique). It is one of the indicators in the Freight transport (annual) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2016 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Freight transport (annual) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French regions | |||||||||||
| Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 2,491.06 | 2,509.91 | 2,255.52 | 2,772.41 | 2,884.51 | 2,463.04 | 2,684.43 | 2,980.61 | 2,857.42 | 2,713.12 | |
| Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 3,373.8 | 3,441.76 | 3,194.24 | 3,827.35 | 3,991.85 | 3,172.31 | 3,533.38 | 3,665.02 | 3,737 | 2,970.05 |
Understanding france regional rail freight tonne-km: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Distance-weighted transport performance evaluated in million tonne-kilometres quantifies rail freight shipments dispatched specifically from loading points located inside the designated administrative territory. This metric multiplies the physical weight of hauled cargo by the exact distance traveled over the rail network within boundaries, separating local logistical output from interregional flows that cross administrative lines. It covers bulk goods, manufactured items, and containerized freight handled by railway operators, while excluding empty wagon movements, road-based feeder legs, and maritime transshipment phases. Unlike tonnage counts that record only the mass at origin without regard to haul length, this distance-weighted output captures the true spatial burden placed on the rail infrastructure by regional economic activity.
Interpreting this series requires accounting for shifts in industrial output patterns and infrastructure adjustments that alter network routing. Early estimates often rely on preliminary operator returns and may undergo upward or downward revisions once final administrative validation concludes. Annual comparisons remain the most reliable analytical approach due to structural timing shifts in heavy industry operations and scheduled network maintenance windows that disrupt standard flows. Analysts should avoid direct comparisons with raw tonnage metrics or road haulage figures from the same territory, as differences in average haul lengths and modal accessibility distort simple equivalencies between physical mass and distance-weighted performance.
Frequently asked questions
- What distinguishes tonne-kilometres from raw tonnage for this region?
- Tonne-kilometres multiply cargo weight by the distance traveled over the rail network, whereas raw tonnage counts only the mass loaded at the origin.
- Are empty freight cars included in this transport performance metric?
- No, empty wagon movements, locomotive weight, and non-revenue operational runs are excluded from the calculated transport output.
- Why is an annual comparison preferred over shorter intervals?
- Annual figures smooth out seasonal maintenance cycles, holiday disruptions, and industrial shutdowns that temporarily distort short-term transport flows.