Annual freight transport in China

China: Annual freight transport was 10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres in 2023. β—† Volatile

Latest (2023)
10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres
Change on year
up 7.1%
World rank
1st
of 21 countries
All-time high
10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres
in 2023
All-time low
248,700 Tonnes-kilometres
in 1978
Years of data
37
1978–2023

Annual freight transport in China, 1978–2023

02.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M1978200020231978: 248.7k Tonnes-kilometres1980: 353.2k Tonnes-kilometres1985: 532.9k Tonnes-kilometres1990: 814.1k Tonnes-kilometres1991: 899.0k Tonnes-kilometres1992: 903.4k Tonnes-kilometres1993: 913.4k Tonnes-kilometres1994: 1.0M Tonnes-kilometres1995: 1.2M Tonnes-kilometres1996: 1.1M Tonnes-kilometres1997: 1.5M Tonnes-kilometres1998: 1.5M Tonnes-kilometres1999: 1.7M Tonnes-kilometres2000: 1.7M Tonnes-kilometres2001: 2.1M Tonnes-kilometres2002: 2.2M Tonnes-kilometres2003: 2.2M Tonnes-kilometres2004: 3.2M Tonnes-kilometres2005: 3.9M Tonnes-kilometres2006: 4.3M Tonnes-kilometres2007: 4.9M Tonnes-kilometres2008: 3.3M Tonnes-kilometres2009: 4.0M Tonnes-kilometres2010: 4.6M Tonnes-kilometres2011: 4.9M Tonnes-kilometres2012: 5.3M Tonnes-kilometres2013: 4.9M Tonnes-kilometres2014: 5.6M Tonnes-kilometres2015: 5.4M Tonnes-kilometres2016: 5.8M Tonnes-kilometres2017: 5.5M Tonnes-kilometres2018: 5.2M Tonnes-kilometres2019: 5.4M Tonnes-kilometres2020: 9.0M Tonnes-kilometres2021: 9.8M Tonnes-kilometres2022: 10.2M Tonnes-kilometres2023: 10.9M Tonnes-kilometres

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Tonnes-kilometres.

Analysis

The most recent figure for annual freight transport in China is 10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.

The figure is up 7.1% on the previous year and up 124.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, annual freight transport in China peaked at 10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres in 2023 and was at its lowest, 248,700 Tonnes-kilometres, in 1978.

That places China 1st out of 21 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 248,700 Tonnes-kilometres 248,700 Tonnes-kilometres 248,700 Tonnes-kilometres 1
1980s 443,050 Tonnes-kilometres 353,200 Tonnes-kilometres 532,900 Tonnes-kilometres 2
1990s 1.16 million Tonnes-kilometres 814,100 Tonnes-kilometres 1.70 million Tonnes-kilometres 10
2000s 3.16 million Tonnes-kilometres 1.71 million Tonnes-kilometres 4.87 million Tonnes-kilometres 10
2010s 5.27 million Tonnes-kilometres 4.60 million Tonnes-kilometres 5.81 million Tonnes-kilometres 10
2020s 9.97 million Tonnes-kilometres 8.99 million Tonnes-kilometres 10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres 4

Countries ranked near China

  1. 2 United States 226,442 Tonnes-kilometres compare
  2. 3 Japan 153,059 Tonnes-kilometres compare
  3. 4 Australia 96,600 Tonnes-kilometres compare

See the full ranking of 25 places β†’

More reference data data for China

All data for China β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is annual freight transport in China?
Annual freight transport in China was 10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest annual freight transport recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 10.92 million Tonnes-kilometres in 2023.
What is the lowest annual freight transport recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 248,700 Tonnes-kilometres in 1978.
How does China rank for annual freight transport?
China ranks 1st out of 21 countries with data for 2023.
Is annual freight transport rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 124.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Annual freight transport. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Annual freight transport in China. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/annual-freight-transport/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Annual freight transport
Unit
Tonnes-kilometres
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
25 places, 933 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

Freight transport by rail, road, inland waterways and pipeline.