Ramboll aids EU Commission on the PRIME Benchmarking Report for seventh time

For the seventh consecutive year, Ramboll has been entrusted by the European Commission to support the development of the PRIME Benchmarking Report, a vital resource that evaluates and advances rail infrastructure throughout Europe. This annual benchmarking report provides an in-depth analysis of the safety, performance, revenues, and expenditures of 21 European rail infrastructure managers, covering the years 2018 to 2022.

The 2024 report highlights several key findings related to rail transport, a crucial component of European mobility. Train activity nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 following the lifting of most travel restrictions, with some infrastructure managers even surpassing their 2019 figures.

However, passenger numbers have yet to fully recover due to factors such as remote work and ongoing health concerns. Freight train activity showed resilience but experienced significant declines in the Baltic states, with Lithuania’s LTGI and Estonia’s EVR reporting drops of 66% and 44% respectively. This situation was further exacerbated by geopolitical tensions arising from Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Punctuality rates reveal interesting trends: passenger train punctuality, which improved during the pandemic, reverted to pre-pandemic levels as activity resumed in 2022, while freight train punctuality improved to an average of 57% across peer groups. Financially, the report underscores the importance of continued investment in rail infrastructure.

Between 2018 and 2022, operational expenditures increased modestly by 1.5%, and capital expenditures rose nearly 10%. However, when adjusted for inflation in critical materials like steel and rising energy costs, the real increase is lower, highlighting ongoing cost pressures on infrastructure managers.

Ramboll’s expertise ensures that complex datasets are harmonised and analysed to deliver clear, actionable insights. The PRIME Benchmarking Report supports the European Commission’s vision of fostering green, resilient, and inclusive rail systems across Europe by facilitating evidence-based policy-making and encouraging knowledge exchange among infrastructure managers.