This report has been produced by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) using data supplied by the rail safety regulators in each State and the Northern Territory of Australia since 2001. The ATSB does not collect the data itself and depends entirely on the efforts of the rail safety regulators to provide accurate and reliable information.
Train kilometres
| Year | NSW | NT | Qld | SA | Tas | Vic | WA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 53,086,392 | 157,051 | 36,238,151 | 13,604,617 | - | 36,830,251 | 16,205,715 | 156,122,177 |
| 2002 | 60,015,964 | 178,007 | 39,004,733 | 14,785,344 | - | 37,903,716 | 18,779,675 | 170,667,439 |
| 2003 | 60,668,790 | 184,094 | 41,539,098 | 14,196,407 | 969,752 | 37,789,278 | 20,334,815 | 175,682,234 |
Note: Excludes tram kilometres. Figures for Tasmania are not available.
Passenger train kilometres
| Year | NSW | NT | Qld | SA | Tas | Vic | WA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 40,251,865 | 52,710 | 13,777,812 | 7,517,081 | - | 30,595,328 | 6,967,291 | 99,162,087 |
| 2002 | 44,159,057 | 52,459 | 14,011,180 | 8,758,313 | - | 32,136,314 | 7,041,493 | 106,158,816 |
| 2003 | 45,982,809 | 55,524 | 18,517,934 | 8,375,046 | 67,558 | 32,586,645 | 7,533,332 | 113,118,848 |
Note: Excludes tram kilometres. Figures for Tasmania are not available.
Freight train kilometres
| Year | NSW | NT | Qld | SA | Tas | Vic | WA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 12,834,527 | 104,341 | 25,353,607 | 6,087,536 | - | 6,234,923 | 9,238,424 | 59,853,358 |
| 2002 | 15,856,907 | 125,548 | 25,031,437 | 6,027,031 | - | 5,767,402 | 11,738,182 | 64,546,507 |
| 2003 | 14,685,981 | 128,570 | 26,819,316 | 5,821,361 | 902,194 | 5,202,633 | 12,801,484 | 66,361,539 |
Note: Figures for Tasmania are not available.
Tram kilometres
| Year | NSW | NT | Qld | SA | Tas | Vic | WA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 903,669 | - | - | 766,071 | - | 21,792,576 | 8,986 | 23,471,302 |
| 2002 | 830,671 | - | - | 776,296 | - | 22,430,950 | 7,795 | 24,045,712 |
| 2003 | 818,458 | - | - | 790,160 | 100 | 22,298,561 | 6,258 | 23,913,537 |
Train passenger journeys
| Year | NSW | NT | Qld | SA | Tas | Vic | WA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 294,595,914 | 48,123 | 46,797,064 | 8,795,436 | - | 140,330,029 | 24,209,487 | 514,776,053 |
| 2002 | 282,701,053 | 54,708 | 47,023,067 | 9,022,577 | - | 140,676,459 | 30,647,672 | 510,125,536 |
| 2003 | 277,397,915 | 44,798 | 49,025,838 | 9,581,692 | - | 141,214,222 | 30,440,368 | 507,704,833 |
Note: The railways providing passenger journey figures to the rail safety regulators are currently able to provide only estimates. Figures for Tasmania are not available. Excludes tram passenger journeys.
Tram passenger journeys
| Year | NSW | NT | Qld | SA | Tas | Vic | WA | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 6,714,452 | - | - | 1,984,565 | - | 120,429,352 | 16,011 | 129,144,380 |
| 2002 | 6,202,864 | - | - | 2,043,076 | - | 132,834,424 | 18,864 | 141,099,228 |
| 2003 | 5,427,628 | - | - | 2,050,327 | - | 124,804,608 | 18,069 | 132,300,632 |
Notes
The definitions provided below are selected excerpts from the definitions of terms used by State and NT rail safety regulators in Australia. The definitions have been developed by them, in consultation with the rail industry, as part of their administrative role in providing government oversight of the safety of the rail industry in Australia.
Train kilometres: the number of kilometres travelled by trains, both freight and passenger.
Train: one or more units of rolling stock coupled together, at least one of which is a locomotive or other self-propelled unit that is designed to run on a railway. Both track maintenance machines and trams (streetcars or light rail) are included in this definition. However, in this national report tramway activity is disaggregated from railway activity as a whole since most of the tramway activity in Australia is concentrated in Melbourne, Victoria.
Passenger train kilometres: the number of kilometres travelled by passenger trains (in this national report, excluding trams).
Freight train kilometres: the number of kilometres travelled by freight trains.
Tram kilometres: the number of kilometres travelled by trams.
Train passenger journey: a journey made by a passenger, all or part of which was on a train. A passenger journey is calculated as follows: urban areas - a point-to-point journey irrespective of the number of vehicles or modes used for the trip; non-urban areas - a point-to-point journey but each change of vehicle along the route is counted as a separate journey. In this national report, tram passenger journeys are excluded.
Tram passenger journey: a journey made by a passenger, all or part of which was on a tram. A passenger journey is calculated as follows: urban areas - a point-to-point journey irrespective of the number of vehicles or modes used for the trip.
Railway employees: persons (whether full or part time) who work for or at the direction of a railway organisation, including contractors and volunteers. In this national report, excludes tramway employees.
Tramway employees: persons (whether full or part time) who work for or at the direction of a tramway organisation, including contractors and volunteers.
Additional statistics on Australian railways are available from the Australasian Railway Association (see http://www.ara.net.au).
Disclaimer
The data in this report are supplied to the ATSB by State and NT rail safety regulators. Data quality and national consistency, in particular, thus depend on the efforts of these regulators. The ATSB accepts no liability for any loss or damage suffered by any person or corporation resulting from the use of these data.