The first line graph shows how many passengers commuted by train over a 10-year period starting from 2000 while the second chart compares the proportion of trains that managed to run on time and the target during the same period.
Overall, the number of train passengers was on the rise notwithstanding some minor fluctuations. Also evident is that there were two periods of time when trains met and exceeded the target of running on time, between 2002 and 2004 and from 2008 onwards.
With regard to the number of passengers traveling by train, at the start of the period, 38 billion people used this means of transport, after which this figure fluctuated mildly in the range from nearly 37 billion to around 49 billion from 2002 to 2008. The number of rail passengers then experienced modest growth and ended the period at approximately 45 billion people.
Concerning the percentage of trains running as scheduled, 92% of trains departed on time in 2000, failing to meet the expected target of 95%. However, the performance improved drastically as the rate of trains departing on time constantly rose from 2002 to 2004, reaching around 95 to 96%. Over the next 4 years, most trains were unable to meet the target of departure time, with the lowest performance observed in 2006 when the figure reached a low point of 92%. The train performance, subsequently, surpassed the target with a consistent 97% of trains departing on time and maintained this level thereafter.