Rail transport accidents in the European Union in 2005-2006.
Date: 2008-12-28
Institutions: Eurostat
Subjects: EU Member State, rail transport, transport accident, transport statistics

Eurostat 
DATA 
in focus 

TRANSPORT 

(cid:9)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:3) (cid:3)
Rail transport accidents in 
the European Union in 
2005-2006 

Author: Anna BIALAS-MOTYL 

1/2008 

Figure 1: Number of persons killed in railway accidents (2005 and 2006) 

2005

2006

BE

BG

CZ

DK

DE

EE

IE

EL

ES

FR

IT

CY

LV

LT

LU

HU

MT

NL

A T

PL

PT

RO

SI

SK

FI

SE

UK

LI

NO

HR

TR

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

Notes: in 2005 there were no persons killed in railway accidents in Ireland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein; in 2006 there were no persons killed 
in railway accidents in Ireland and Liechtenstein; data for 2005 was not available for Bulgaria.

Source: Eurostat/NewCronos 

Manuscript completed on: 17.01.2008 
Data extracted on: 06.11.2007 

ISSN 1977-0340 
Catalogue number: KS-QA-08-001-EN-N 

© European Communities, 2008 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 1: Number of accidents by type in 2006 

Number of accidents  

Total number 
of accidents

Collisions Derailments

Accidents 
involving level-
crossings

Accidents to 
persons caused
by rolling stock 
in motion

Fires in 
rolling Stock

Others Unknown

Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg 
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
EU-27
Liechtenstein
Norway
Croatia
Turkey

45
84
233
78
1 150
70
0
71
100
171
166
-
63
162
5
145
-
29
100
905
89
241
48
626
103
97
132
4 913
0
16
78
455

0
0
13
9
347
5
0
10
3
10
7
-
0
4
0
1
-
4
4
18
3
3
0
0
2
20
8
471
0
5
0
11

0
2
10
6
144
18
0
4
9
11
11
-
1
8
0
3
-
2
8
190
9
55
3
8
1
30
19
552
0
3
5
96

22
10
104
11
266
20
0
25
15
54
41
-
10
21
2
35
-
12
38
270
22
142
41
58
60
20
11
1 310
0
2
31
157

18
65
104
16
312
27
0
30
66
77
97
-
52
56
2
59
-
9
46
350
55
21
0
126
23
17
94
1 722
0
2
35
129

0
1
0
5
17
0
0
2
0
19
5
-
0
0
1
1
-
1
0
5
0
20
1
8
17
6
0
109
0
3
1
21

5
6
2
31
64
0
0
0
7
0
5
-
0
73
0
46
-
1
4
72
0
0
3
426
0
4
0
749
0
1
6
41
Source: Eurostat/NewCronos 

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Victims by type of accident and category of person 

Table 2: Fatalities by type of accident in 2006 

Collisions

Derailments

Accidents 
involving level-
crossings

Accidents to 
persons caused
by rolling stock 
in motion

Fires in 
rolling Stock

Others

Unknown

Total

Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg 
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
EU-27
Liechtenstein
Norway
Croatia
Turkey

0
0
0
0
3
0
0
8
0
7
4
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
25
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
1
0

10
4
31
4
63
0
0
14
15
40
19
-
4
8
1
23
-
12
22
30
18
0
9
13
4
9
7
360
0
0
17
28

10
57
21
10
120
16
0
17
41
41
58
-
26
41
1
39
-
4
20
235
35
12
0
50
18
10
71
953
0
0
17
74

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
-
0
0
0
3
-
0
1
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
25
0
1
1
9

20
68
52
14
186
16
0
39
65
88
83
-
30
49
2
65
-
16
43
277
53
12
9
63
22
19
79
1 370
0
1
36
111   
Source: Eurostat/NewCronos 

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

2 

DATA IN FOCUS — 1/2008 — Transport 

(cid:4) 

 
 
 
 
 
Table 3: Number of seriously injured persons by type of accident in 2006 

Collisions

Derailments

Accidents 
involving level-
crossings

Accidents to 
persons caused
by rolling stock 
in motion

Fires in
 rolling Stock

Others

Unknown

Total

Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg 
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
EU-27
Liechtenstein
Norway
Croatia
Turkey

0
0
4
0
39
0
0
7
1
4
16
-
0
0
0
7
-
6
3
3
1
0
0
0
1
0
3
95
0
0
0
1

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
14
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
17
0
0
2
0

16
4
50
1
56
11
0
32
2
10
20
-
7
8
1
28
-
2
28
84
9
0
10
7
6
8
4
404
0
1
19
35

8
46
35
6
95
10
0
12
29
38
44
-
26
15
1
20
-
6
29
78
22
2
0
25
6
7
24
584
0
1
19
29

0
2
0
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
3
-
0
0
13
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
23
0
2
0
1

4
28
3
55
0
89
2
10
3
196
0
21
0
0
0
51
1
47
0
52
2
85
-
-
0
33
0
23
0
15
43
98
-
-
0
15
1
61
60
225
0
33
0
2
0
11
0
32
0
13
0
16
0
31
119
1 242
0
0
0
4
5
45
96  
30
Source: Eurostat/NewCronos 

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Table 4: Number of persons killed and seriously injured by category of person in 2006 

Killed

Number of persons
Seriously injured

Total

s
r
e
g
n
e
s
s
a
P
4
3
4
0
2
0
0
3
9
10
5
-
0
0
0
4
-
1
2
9
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
58
0
0
0
9

l

s
e
e
y
o
p
m
E
0
0
1
1
8
0
0
1
3
4
13
-
0
0
0
0
-
1
0
2
1
2
0
0
0
0
1
38
0
0
3
6

r
e
h
t
O
16
65
47
13
176
16
0
35
53
74
65
-
30
49
2
61
-
14
41
266
52
10
9
62
21
19
78
1 274
0
1
33
96

l

a
t
o
T
20
68
52
14
186
16
0
39
65
88
83
-
30
49
2
65
-
16
43
277
53
12
9
63
22
19
79
1 370
0
1
36
111

s
r
e
g
n
e
s
s
a
P
5
18
11
4
32
0
0
17
23
15
42
-
0
0
13
49
-
10
9
62
8
0
0
0
1
1
9
329
0
1
4
32

l

s
e
e
y
o
p
m
E
5
2
2
3
40
0
0
5
4
6
4
-
1
0
0
1
-
1
9
5
2
0
1
0
3
1
5
100
0
2
4
5

r
e
h
t
O
18
35
76
3
124
21
0
29
20
31
39
-
32
23
2
48
-
4
43
158
23
2
10
32
9
14
17
813
0
1
37
59

l

a
t
o
T
28
55
89
10
196
21
0
51
47
52
85
-
33
23
15
98
-
15
61
225
33
2
11
32
13
16
31
1 242
0
4
45
96

s
r
e
g
n
e
s
s
a
P
9
21
15
4
34
0
0
20
32
25
47
-
0
0
13
53
-
11
11
71
8
0
0
1
2
1
9
387
0
1
4
41

l

s
e
e
y
o
p
m
E
5
2
3
4
48
0
0
6
7
10
17
-
1
0
0
1
-
2
9
7
3
2
1
0
3
1
6
138
0
2
7
11

r
e
h
t
O
34
100
123
16
300
37
0
64
73
105
104
-
62
72
4
109
-
18
84
424
75
12
19
94
30
33
95
2 087
0
2
70
155

l

a
t
o
T
48
123
141
24
382
37
0
90
112
140
168
-
63
72
17
163
-
31
104
502
86
14
20
95
35
35
110
2 612
0
5
81
207

Source: Eurostat/NewCronos 

Transport — 1/2008 — DATA IN FOCUS

3 

Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg 
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
EU-27
Liechtenstein
Norway
Croatia
Turkey

(cid:4) 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 5: Number of passengers killed and seriously injured by type of accident in 2006 

Collisions

Derailments

Accidents 
involving level-
crossings

Accidents to 
persons caused
by rolling stock 
in motion

Fires in rolling 
Stock

Others

Unknown

Total

Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg 
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
EU-27
Liechtenstein
Norway
Croatia
Turkey

0
0
1
0
17
0
0
6
0
4
16
-
0
0
0
6
-
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
55
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
21
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
22
0
0
1
0

3
0
0
0
0
0
0
13
0
0
1
-
0
0
0
0
-
3
1
8
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
30
0
0
0
1

5
20
14
4
11
0
0
1
11
21
27
-
0
0
0
6
-
3
9
0
8
0
0
0
2
1
9
152
0
1
1
3

0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
3
-
0
0
13
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
19
0
0
0
0

1
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
41
-
0
0
63
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
109
0
0
2
37

9
21
15
4
34
0
0
20
32
25
47
-
0
0
13
53
-
11
11
71
8
0
0
1
2
1
9
387
0
1
4
41  
Source: Eurostat/NewCronos 

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Table 6: Number of accidents with dangerous goods, 2005 and 2006 

Accidents involving dangerous goods 

Number of accidents
involving the transport of 
dangerous goods

of which
releasing dangerous goods

Number of accidents
involving the transport of 
dangerous goods
per billion tkm of dangerous goods 
transport

2005

2006

2005 and 2006

2005

2006

2005 and 2006

2005

2006

Average 2005 
and 2006

Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg 
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
EU-27
Liechtenstein
Norway
Croatia
Turkey

0
:
0
2
5
4
0
0
9
5
0
-
0
7
0
0
-
5
21
1
1
1
0
0
0
3
9
:
0
2
1
0

0
2
0
1
3
0
0
0
14
0
0
-
0
8
0
0
-
3
17
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
52
0
1
0
0

0
:
0
3
8
4
0
0
23
5
0
-
0
15
0
0
-
8
38
1
1
1
0
0
0
4
12
:
0
3
1
0

0
:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
:
0
2
1
0

0
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
1
-
0
15
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
24
0
1
0
0

4 

DATA IN FOCUS — 1/2008 — Transport 

0
:
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
-
0
0
0
1
-
0
35
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
5
:
0
3
1
0

0
:
0
17
0
1
0
0
3
:
0
-
0
2
0
0
-
10
15
0
13
0
0
0
0
3
8
:
0
5
2
0

0
1
0
18
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
-
:
2
0
0
-
:
12
0
:
0
0
0
0
1
:
:
0
14
0
0

0
:
0
17
0
0
0
0
5
:
0
-
:
2
0
0
-
:
13
0
:
0
0
0
0
2
:
:
0
10
1
0

Source: Eurostat/NewCronos 

(cid:4) 

 
 
 
 
 
 
M E T H O D O L O G I C A L   N O T E S  
Data availability  
The figures presented in this publication have been extracted from the Eurostat rail transport database. It includes the statistics 
on rail accidents in the Member States, collected according to the Regulation n°91/2003.  
Country characteristics of data availability  
CZ  Fatalities currently include suicides and some slightly injured people may be included as 'seriously injured'.  
DK  The  accident  data  for  2004  published  in  the  previous  Statistics  in  Focus  only  cover  accidents  on  the  main  network  (i.e. 

excluding the regional networks). Starting with 2005, the accident data on the regional networks are also included. 

DE  The data provided in Tables 1 and 2 include all accidents involving personal injury. This means that accidents with only 

slightly injured persons are included. 

CY  No railway transport 
MT  No railway transport 
SE  The  data  on  accidents  involving  the  transport  of  dangerous  goods  may,  due  to  methodological  reasons,  not  be  wholly 
consistent  with  the  number  of  incidents  that  should  be  reported  according  the  RID/ADR  1.8.5  rules  on  notification  of 
occurrences involving dangerous goods. 

UK  The  number  of  fatalities  (currently  including  or  excluding  suicides)  may  be  subject  to  change  depending  on  Coroner's 

verdicts that were not yet available. 

Definitions  
Definitions presented here are those of the Regulation n°1192/2003 (EC) of 3 July 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 91/2003 
of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  rail  transport  statistics.  However,  some  Member  States  (for  example, 
Bulgaria, Germany and the United Kingdom) have reported these statistics according to the definitions of Directive 2004/49/EC 
or according to national definitions (Annex H, Note 5).  

Passenger-km: the unit of measure representing the transport of one passenger by rail over a distance of one kilometre. Only 
the distance on the national territory of the reporting country is taken into account.  
Train-km:  the  unit  of  measure  representing  the  movement  of  a  train  over  one  kilometre.  The  distance  used  is  the  distance 
actually run, if available, otherwise the standard network distance between the origin and destination is used. Only the distance 
on the national territory of the reporting country is taken into account.  
Significant accident: any accident involving at least one rail vehicle in motion, resulting in at least one killed or seriously injured 
person, or in significant damage to stock, track, other installations or environment, or extensive disruptions to traffic. Accidents 
in workshops, warehouses and depots are excluded.  
Serious  injury  accident:  any  accident  involving  at  least  one  rail  vehicle  in  motion,  resulting  in  at  least  one  killed  or  seriously 
injured person. Accidents in workshops, warehouses and depots are excluded.  
Level crossing accident: any accident at level crossings involving at least one railway vehicle and one or more road vehicles, 
other users of the road such as pedestrians or other objects temporarily present at or near the track.  
Accident  to  persons  caused  by  rolling  stock  in  motion:  any  accident  to  one  or  more  persons  that  are  either  hit  by  a  railway 
vehicle or part of it or hit by an object detached from the vehicle. Persons that fall from railway vehicles are included, as well as 
persons that fall or are hit by loose objects when travelling on-board vehicles.  
Person killed (Fatality): any person killed immediately or dying within 30 days as a result of an accident, excluding suicides. It 
includes passengers, employees and others persons specified or unspecified persons involved in a rail injury accident.  
Person seriously injured: any person injured who was hospitalised for more than 24 hours as a result of an accident, excluding 
attempted suicides.  
Rail passenger: any person, excluding members of the train crew, who makes a trip by rail. For accident statistics, passengers 
trying to embark/disembark onto/from a moving train are included.  
Others:  as  a  category  of  victim,  "others"  includes,  for  example,  level  crossing  users  and  unauthorised  persons  on  railway 
premises.  
Accident  involving  the  transport  of  dangerous  goods:  any  accident  or  incident  that  is  subject  to  reporting  in  accordance  with 
RID/ADR section 1.8.5. 
Methodology  
According  to  the  Regulation  91/2003,  during  the  first  five  years  of  application  of  this  Regulation,  Member  States  may  report 
these statistics according to national definitions, if data conforming to harmonised definitions are not available. 
Please  note  that  the  definition  of  the  accident  involving  the  transport  of  dangerous  goods  include  also  accidents  or  incidents, 
which may occur during the whole transport process of a dangerous good. It includes the situation when the railway vehicle is 
not  in  motion  (e.g.:  a  leakage  which  happened  at  sidings),  which  makes  the  definition  broader  than  the  definition  of  railway 
accident (where at least one rail vehicle is supposed to be in motion). 
Symbols:  
: not available  
- not applicable  
0 actual zero or very negligible value 

F U R T H E R   I N F O R M A T I O N  

European Statistical Data Support 
Contact details for this support network can be found on the Eurostat Internet site: 
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat (cid:198) Services: Help/Data support  

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Transport — 1/2008 — DATA IN FOCUS

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