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ATO Rail Sector Profiles
Rail Sector Profiles
These rail sector profiles were developed by the Asian Transport Outlook (ATO) with the contribution by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), which provided information on the Trans-Asian Railway Network routes.
Drawing from verified and peer-reviewed sources, the profiles provide key insights from the data and policies for enriching the discussions on advancing the railway sector in the region.
Key Features of the Profiles
Infrastructure Overview
Heavy Rail Networks: Detailed statistics on route lengths, electrification rates, and track configurations, including single-track and double-track networks. These provide insights into rail density and connectivity across national and regional levels.
Urban Transit Systems: Information on urban rail development, including Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT), with trends in urban rail availability per capita and expansion of transit systems in major cities.
Regional Density Metrics: Analysis of rail infrastructure availability per capita and per square kilometer, comparing national performance to regional averages.
Activity and Operational Trends
Passenger and Freight Movements: Tracking passenger-kilometers (PKM) and tonne-kilometers (TKM) to analyze utilization trends over time. Declining or growing activity patterns highlight the challenges and opportunities in optimizing rail services.
Energy Use: Insights into energy consumption patterns, including the growing share of electrification, energy efficiency improvements, and integration of cleaner energy sources into rail systems.
Environmental Impact
Carbon Emissions: Rail's contribution to overall transport emissions is tracked, with data on CO2 emission trends and the impacts of electrification and energy efficiency measures on reducing the carbon footprint.
Air Pollutants: Analysis of rail’s share in transport-related air pollutants such as PM, NOx, and SOx, with trends indicating the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
Investments and Digitalization
Financial Flows: Documentation of public and private investment in rail, including trends in Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), highlighting funding sources for rail development.
Digital Readiness: Evaluations of rail systems' digital capabilities, including infrastructure efficiency and readiness for technology integration.
Policy Measures and Targets
National Policies: Analysis of rail-related measures in key policy documents, including policies, strategies, measures and targets on: infrastructure development, climate change mitigation and adaptation, electrification, among others.
