Source: International Union of Railways, http://www.uic.asso.fr

World Rail Freight Traffic, 1997-2010

In 2010, about 9,200 billion tons-km of rail freight were shipped globally. The quantity of freight carried by rail has increased substantially in recent years, particularly in North America where the growth of international trade has led to a growing reliance on long distance freight corridors. However, the impacts of the financial crisis were quite substantial as international trade declined, so did freight carried on the last segments of global supply chains.