The first graph illustrates how many people travelled by train between 2000 and 2009, while the second graph shows the share of trains that arrived on time compared with the planned targets during the same period.
Overall, the number of train passengers rose steadily throughout 2000-2009, peaking notably in 2005, while the proportion of trains running on time generally increased but experienced a sharp fall to its lowest point in 2006.
In the first chart, the number of train passengers showed some fluctuations between 2000 and 2005. It dropped sharply to about 35 billion in 2003 before rising quickly to reach 50 billion in 2005. After that peak, the figure fell slightly, leveling off at around 40 billion in 2008, and then increased marginally in 2009.
In the second chart, the on-time percentage started at a relatively low level but rose rapidly and consistently until 2004. It then experienced a sharp decline from 96% to 92% in 2006. After a slight increase in 2007, the figure continued to climb steadily and quickly, before stabilising in 2008 and remaining unchanged until the end of the period.
