Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Korea
South Korea: Passenger-kilometers by rail was 100.38 billion million passenger-km in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
100.38 billion million passenger-km
Change on year
up 8.9%
World rank
5th
of 101 countries
All-time high
100.38 billion million passenger-km
in 2019
All-time low
41.76 billion million passenger-km
in 1997
Years of data
25
1995–2019
Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Korea, 1995–2019
Source: International Union of Railways (UIC) and OECD, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in million passenger-km.
Analysis
In 2019, passenger-kilometers by rail in South Korea stood at 100.38 billion million passenger-km. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 8.9% on the previous year and up 80.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, passenger-kilometers by rail in South Korea peaked at 100.38 billion million passenger-km in 2019 and was at its lowest, 41.76 billion million passenger-km, in 1997.
South Korea ranks 5th of 101 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Korea, year by year
| Year | million passenger-km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 43.34 billion million passenger-km | — |
| 1996 | 42.44 billion million passenger-km | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 41.76 billion million passenger-km | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 44.12 billion million passenger-km | +5.6% |
| 1999 | 46.85 billion million passenger-km | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 49.56 billion million passenger-km | +5.8% |
| 2001 | 59.15 billion million passenger-km | +19.4% |
| 2002 | 51.93 billion million passenger-km | -12.2% |
| 2003 | 50.98 billion million passenger-km | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 52.75 billion million passenger-km | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 54.64 billion million passenger-km | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 55.53 billion million passenger-km | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 55.73 billion million passenger-km | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 56.77 billion million passenger-km | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 55.49 billion million passenger-km | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 58.38 billion million passenger-km | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 63.04 billion million passenger-km | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 70.08 billion million passenger-km | +11.2% |
| 2013 | 66.35 billion million passenger-km | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 67.86 billion million passenger-km | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 68.37 billion million passenger-km | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 86.87 billion million passenger-km | +27.1% |
| 2017 | 89.96 billion million passenger-km | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 92.19 billion million passenger-km | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 100.38 billion million passenger-km | +8.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 100.38 billion million passenger-km is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.44 billion million passenger-km, 18.5× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 100.38 billion million passenger-km is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.16 billion million passenger-km, 24.1× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.70 billion million passenger-km | 41.76 billion million passenger-km | 46.85 billion million passenger-km | 5 |
| 2000s | 54.25 billion million passenger-km | 49.56 billion million passenger-km | 59.15 billion million passenger-km | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.35 billion million passenger-km | 58.38 billion million passenger-km | 100.38 billion million passenger-km | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 2 Japan 263.21 billion million passenger-km compare
- 3 India 231.13 billion million passenger-km compare
- 4 Russia 103.45 billion million passenger-km compare
- 6 France 86.85 billion million passenger-km compare
- 7 Germany 58.82 billion million passenger-km compare
- 8 Egypt 40.84 billion million passenger-km compare
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9281 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2074 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is passenger-kilometers by rail in South Korea?
- Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Korea was 100.38 billion million passenger-km in 2019, according to International Union of Railways (UIC) and OECD, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest passenger-kilometers by rail recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 100.38 billion million passenger-km in 2019.
- What is the lowest passenger-kilometers by rail recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.76 billion million passenger-km in 1997.
- How does South Korea rank for passenger-kilometers by rail?
- South Korea ranks 5th out of 101 countries with data for 2019.
- Is passenger-kilometers by rail rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 80.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Union of Railways (UIC) and OECD, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Passenger-kilometers by rail. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The number of passengers transported by rail, multiplied by the kilometers traveled. This is measured in passenger-kilometers.