Reported passenger kilometers in China
China: Reported passenger kilometers was 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
1st
of 63 countries
All-time high
1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers
in 2019
All-time low
109.32 billion passenger-kilometers
in 1978
Years of data
33
1978–2019
Reported passenger kilometers in China, 1978–2019
Source: OECD (2023); OECD (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in passenger-kilometers.
Analysis
China recorded 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers for reported passenger kilometers in 2019. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 86.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, reported passenger kilometers in China peaked at 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers in 2019 and was at its lowest, 109.32 billion passenger-kilometers, in 1978.
That places China 1st out of 63 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Reported passenger kilometers in China, year by year
| Year | passenger-kilometers | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 109.32 billion passenger-kilometers | — |
| 1980 | 138.32 billion passenger-kilometers | +26.5% |
| 1985 | 241.61 billion passenger-kilometers | +74.7% |
| 1990 | 261.26 billion passenger-kilometers | +8.1% |
| 1991 | 282.81 billion passenger-kilometers | +8.2% |
| 1992 | 315.22 billion passenger-kilometers | +11.5% |
| 1993 | 348.33 billion passenger-kilometers | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 363.60 billion passenger-kilometers | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 354.57 billion passenger-kilometers | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 334.76 billion passenger-kilometers | -5.6% |
| 1997 | 358.49 billion passenger-kilometers | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 377.34 billion passenger-kilometers | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 413.59 billion passenger-kilometers | +9.6% |
| 2000 | 453.26 billion passenger-kilometers | +9.6% |
| 2001 | 476.68 billion passenger-kilometers | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 496.94 billion passenger-kilometers | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 478.86 billion passenger-kilometers | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 571.22 billion passenger-kilometers | +19.3% |
| 2005 | 606.20 billion passenger-kilometers | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 662.21 billion passenger-kilometers | +9.2% |
| 2007 | 721.63 billion passenger-kilometers | +9.0% |
| 2008 | 777.86 billion passenger-kilometers | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 787.89 billion passenger-kilometers | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 876.22 billion passenger-kilometers | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 961.23 billion passenger-kilometers | +9.7% |
| 2012 | 981.23 billion passenger-kilometers | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 1.06 trillion passenger-kilometers | +8.0% |
| 2014 | 1.12 trillion passenger-kilometers | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 1.20 trillion passenger-kilometers | +6.4% |
| 2016 | 1.26 trillion passenger-kilometers | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 1.35 trillion passenger-kilometers | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 1.41 trillion passenger-kilometers | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers | +4.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 483.00 million passenger-kilometers, 3044.8× the median. (21 countries reporting)
- China's 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.68 billion passenger-kilometers, 259.1× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Reported passenger kilometers in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +74.7% | 138.32 billion passenger-kilometers | 241.61 billion passenger-kilometers |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 109.32 billion passenger-kilometers | 109.32 billion passenger-kilometers | 109.32 billion passenger-kilometers | 1 |
| 1980s | 189.97 billion passenger-kilometers | 138.32 billion passenger-kilometers | 241.61 billion passenger-kilometers | 2 |
| 1990s | 341.00 billion passenger-kilometers | 261.26 billion passenger-kilometers | 413.59 billion passenger-kilometers | 10 |
| 2000s | 603.27 billion passenger-kilometers | 453.26 billion passenger-kilometers | 787.89 billion passenger-kilometers | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.17 trillion passenger-kilometers | 876.22 billion passenger-kilometers | 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers | 10 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is reported passenger kilometers in China?
- Reported passenger kilometers in China was 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers in 2019, according to OECD (2023); OECD (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest reported passenger kilometers recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.47 trillion passenger-kilometers in 2019.
- What is the lowest reported passenger kilometers recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 109.32 billion passenger-kilometers in 1978.
- How does China rank for reported passenger kilometers?
- China ranks 1st out of 63 countries with data for 2019.
- Is reported passenger kilometers rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 86.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2023); OECD (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Reported passenger kilometers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of kilometers traveled by passengers by rail.