Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa
South Africa: Passenger-kilometers by rail was 3.50 billion million passenger-km in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa, 1995–2020
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 2020, passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa stood at 3.50 billion million passenger-km.
The figure is down 36.4% on the previous year and down 74.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa peaked at 14.27 billion million passenger-km in 2014 and was at its lowest, 550.15 million million passenger-km, in 2013.
South Africa ranks 38th of 101 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa, year by year
| Year | million passenger-km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 10.24 billion million passenger-km | — |
| 1996 | 10.98 billion million passenger-km | +7.2% |
| 1997 | 12.55 billion million passenger-km | +14.3% |
| 1998 | 12.73 billion million passenger-km | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 11.56 billion million passenger-km | -9.1% |
| 2000 | 11.89 billion million passenger-km | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 13.02 billion million passenger-km | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 1.13 billion million passenger-km | -91.4% |
| 2003 | 996.00 million million passenger-km | -11.5% |
| 2004 | 1.00 billion million passenger-km | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 991.00 million million passenger-km | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 13.87 billion million passenger-km | +1299.1% |
| 2013 | 550.15 million million passenger-km | -96.0% |
| 2014 | 14.27 billion million passenger-km | +2493.8% |
| 2015 | 13.70 billion million passenger-km | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 11.84 billion million passenger-km | -13.6% |
| 2017 | 9.82 billion million passenger-km | -17.0% |
| 2018 | 7.11 billion million passenger-km | -27.6% |
| 2019 | 5.50 billion million passenger-km | -22.6% |
| 2020 | 3.50 billion million passenger-km | -36.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.50 billion million passenger-km is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 503.54 million million passenger-km, 7.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.50 billion million passenger-km is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 94.00 million million passenger-km, 37.3× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +2493.8% | 550.15 million million passenger-km | 14.27 billion million passenger-km |
| 2007 | +1299.1% | 991.00 million million passenger-km | 13.87 billion million passenger-km |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.61 billion million passenger-km | 10.24 billion million passenger-km | 12.73 billion million passenger-km | 5 |
| 2000s | 6.13 billion million passenger-km | 991.00 million million passenger-km | 13.87 billion million passenger-km | 7 |
| 2010s | 8.97 billion million passenger-km | 550.15 million million passenger-km | 14.27 billion million passenger-km | 7 |
| 2020s | 3.50 billion million passenger-km | 3.50 billion million passenger-km | 3.50 billion million passenger-km | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 35 Belarus 4.49 billion million passenger-km compare
- 36 Morocco 4.46 billion million passenger-km compare
- 37 Myanmar 4.16 billion million passenger-km compare
- 39 Uzbekistan 3.13 billion million passenger-km compare
- 40 Portugal 2.91 billion million passenger-km compare
- 41 Finland 2.90 billion million passenger-km compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa?
- Passenger-kilometers by rail in South Africa was 3.50 billion million passenger-km in 2020, 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 Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.27 billion million passenger-km in 2014.
- What is the lowest passenger-kilometers by rail recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 550.15 million million passenger-km in 2013.
- How does South Africa rank for passenger-kilometers by rail?
- South Africa ranks 38th out of 101 countries with data for 2020.
- Is passenger-kilometers by rail rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 74.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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 — 20 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.