Rail transport is considered an environmentally friendly mode of transport. However, this statement is valid if the transport takes place on electrified lines. In 2021, 56% of the total railway network in European countries was electrified. This share has been gradually increasing in recent years. However, the level of electrification of the railway network varies significantly between countries. Switzerland is the only country with a fully electrified rail network, while Kosovo has the only railway network where no tracks are electrified. Eight countries have a rail network in which 70% or more of the tracks are electrified. The first three places are Switzerland (100%), Luxembourg (97%), and Belgium (88%). In seven countries, the level of electrification is below a third of the total railway network (Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Kosovo, Lithuania, Latvia, and Greece). IRG Rail also started collecting data on the intensity of electrified and non-electrified railway lines use. The first results show that the intensity of electrified network use is higher in all monitored countries. In several countries, the intensity of electrified railway lines use is several times higher compared to non-electrified lines (IRG-Rail. Eleventh Annual Market Monitoring Report). The paper deals with a comparative analysis of traffic performance on electrified and non-electrified railway lines in EU countries for passenger and freight transport. Our research was focused on the share of power of dependent and independent traction, and especially on the share of power of independent traction on electrified lines. We dealt not only with the statistical analysis of performance but primarily with the social costs (internal and external costs) of independent traction in comparison with dependent traction.

sustainable rail transport; external costs; diesel traction; electric traction; electrified lines