BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 24. A recent report by Eurostat highlights significant variations in passenger transport trends across the European Union, with particular emphasis on Balkan countries, Trend reports.
Meanwhile, Lithuania emerged as the EU country with the highest share of passenger transport attributed to passenger cars, a stark contrast to Croatia, where the proportion was notably lower.
In 2022, Lithuania recorded an overwhelming 87.9% of passenger transport by car. Meanwhile, Croatia had the lowest share of car-based transport within the EU, at just 48.8%. Interestingly, Croatia demonstrated a unique trend by leading the EU in aircraft usage, with 40.4% of passenger transport attributed to air travel. Bulgaria followed with a notable 25.9%, marking a distinct regional shift in transport preferences in the Balkans.
In the broader EU landscape, the share of passenger transport by train was highest in countries such as Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, and France, with each surpassing 9.0%. In contrast, passenger transport by seagoing vessels remained under 1.0% in most EU countries, with Croatia again standing out with a 2.5% share.
Motorization rates, which measure the number of passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants, also showed considerable regional differences. The EU average stood at 571 cars per 1,000 inhabitants in 2023, with Italy and Luxembourg leading the pack, boasting rates of 694 and 675, respectively. However, the motorisation rate was notably lower in some Balkan countries, with Romania, Latvia, and Hungary recording the lowest rates, ranging from 418 to 435 cars per 1,000 inhabitants.
These statistics underscore the contrasting transport dynamics in the Balkans, with Croatia and Bulgaria standing out for their unique reliance on air travel, while motorization rates remain relatively lower compared to Western European counterparts.