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Rail Transport Statistics for January 2026 Shows Trends in Passenger and Cargo Transport

Overview of Rail Transport Statistics for January 2026

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism recently released its monthly report on rail transport statistics for January 2026. The report indicates that the total number of passengers transported across rail and track systems reached an impressive 1.969 billion, marking a 2.9% increase compared to the same month last year. In terms of passenger-kilometers, a total of 35.459 billion kilometers were covered, which is a 3.1% rise year-on-year.

Breakdown of Passenger Transport

Here’s how the passenger transport figures pan out:

Category	Number of Passengers (thousands)	Year-on-Year Change (%)	Passenger-Kilometers (thousands)	Year-on-Year Change (%)
----	------	------	------	-------
JR Passenger Companies	728,301	102.5	22,829,761	103.2
- Including Shinkansen	34,681	105.4	9,872,797	104.9
Private Railways (Non-JR)	1,240,815	103.2	12,630,053	102.9
Total	1,969,116	102.9	35,459,814	103.1

The figures indicate that JR companies notably had a total of over 728 million passengers, demonstrating a steady increase from last year. The bullet train service, Shinkansen, also performed well with a 5.4% growth in passenger numbers, highlighting its popularity among commuters and travelers alike.

Private railways too showed resilience, recording a healthy 103.2% year-on-year increase in the number of passengers carried.

Cargo Transport Statistics

While passenger transport figures are promising, the cargo transport statistics tell a different story. The total freight quantity for January was recorded at 3.160 million tons, which reflects a 3.6% decrease compared to January of the previous year. The total freight ton-kilometers also saw a significant drop of 10.6%, measuring 1.285 billion ton-kilometers.

Here’s the detailed breakdown of the cargo transport figures:

Category	Cargo Quantity (tons)	Year-on-Year Change (%)	Cargo Ton-Kilometers (thousand ton-kilometers)	Year-on-Year Change (%)
-----	----	------	----------	-----
Containers	1,477,572	90.4	1,133,952	87.7
Vehicle Handling	1,683,028	102.3	151,795	104.5
Total	3,160,600	96.4	1,285,747	89.4

The decline in cargo transported can be primarily attributed to shifts in market demand and possibly competition from alternative transport methods. The container transport segment experienced a noticeable downturn with a decrease of 9.6%, while the vehicle handling section experienced improved performance, marking a 2.3% increase.

Conclusion

While the rail transport sector shows a positive uptick in passenger figures, the challenges faced in cargo transport indicate an evolving market landscape. Stakeholders and policymakers in the rail industry will need to assess these dynamics and consider strategies for improving cargo transport efficiency. For detailed insights and further data, refer to the full Rail Transport Monthly Report available from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Contact Information: For further inquiries, please reach out to the Transport Economic Statistics Survey Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism at TEL: (03) 5253-8111 (Internal Line 28721).