Slovenia leads the EU: passenger numbers in rail transport have increased by 26.81%
Slovenia recorded the largest increase in the number of rail passengers in the European Union during 2025. According to Eurostat data, the increase was 26.8 per cent, while rail traffic at EU level, measured in passenger kilometres, rose by 2.6 per cent.
Slovenia has emerged as the fastest-growing market for rail passenger transport in the European Union. According to data published by Eurostat on 30 October 2026, the number of passengers on Slovenian trains during 2025 increased by 26.8 per cent compared with the previous year.
Following Slovenia are Hungary with a 12.3 per cent increase and Portugal with a 10 per cent increase. At the same time, Romania recorded the largest drop in passenger numbers, at 9.1 per cent.
The Slovenian result is particularly notable in a European comparison.
Although Slovenia achieved the largest increase in passenger numbers, the rise in passenger kilometres per inhabitant was 3.4 per cent. This difference shows that strong growth in the number of journeys does not necessarily mean an equally large increase in the total distance travelled.
At the level of the European Union, rail traffic during 2025 reached 457 billion passenger kilometres, which is 2.6 per cent more than the previous year. Compared to 2019, the increase amounts to 14.2 per cent.
The largest markets by total number of passengers remain Germany, France and Italy, while Hungary and Austria rank among the leading European countries in terms of rail usage intensity, measured by passenger kilometres per inhabitant.
What does the growth of rail traffic mean for tourism?
The Slovenian result is also of interest to the tourism industry, particularly to agencies that develop regional, city and combined trips.
A higher number of passengers can open up additional opportunities for developing arrangements that include rail transport. However, Eurostat's statistics cover all categories of passengers, not just tourists, so the increase in passenger numbers cannot be directly equated with an increase in tourist demand.
For the further development of cross-border tourism products, high-quality international connectivity, simpler ticket booking and better coordination of different modes of transport will be important.
Slovenia has distinguished itself among EU member states with its performance, and the data for 2025 provide an additional basis for monitoring the development of rail transport in Central and Southeast Europe.
