January 2026 brought a clear weakening of activity in Poland’s transport sector. According to preliminary statistical data, the total volume of freight transported amounted to 36.4 million tonnes, representing a 9.3% decline compared with the same period of the previous year. Although the result remains weaker than a year earlier, the scale of the drop was slightly smaller than in January 2025, when freight transport decreased by 10.9%.
The data indicate a mixed situation across individual transport modes. The largest declines were recorded in road and rail transport, while growth occurred in pipeline and maritime transport.
Clear declines in road and rail transport
The largest reduction in freight volumes was recorded in road transport, where 17.1% fewer goods were transported than a year earlier. Despite the decline, this segment remains crucial for domestic logistics, handling a significant share of goods transport within Poland as well as in international trade.
Declines also affected rail transport, where freight volumes fell by 8.7% year on year. Rail remains one of the primary modes of transport for raw materials and bulk cargo, which is why its performance is often viewed as a barometer of industrial and trade activity.
In contrast, growth was recorded in pipeline transport, where freight volumes increased by as much as 25.2% year on year. Maritime transport also improved, with freight volumes 3.0% higher than in January 2025.
Passenger numbers decline for the first time in five years
January also brought a shift in the trend in passenger transport. For the first time in five years, the number of passengers using public transport declined. In the first month of 2026, 52.0 million passengers were transported, which was 3.6% fewer than a year earlier. For comparison, in January 2025 the number of passengers had increased by 7.1%.
The largest decline occurred in road passenger transport, where the number of passengers fell by 9.6%. This refers to services provided by bus and coach operators, excluding urban public transport.
A slightly smaller decline was recorded in rail transport, where passenger numbers decreased by 1.1%.
Against this backdrop, air transport stood out as the only segment to record growth in the number of travellers. In January, passenger numbers in this segment were 8.9% higher than a year earlier, confirming the continuing strong demand for air travel and the growing role of Polish airports in international traffic.
Lower turnover in seaports
Weaker activity was also recorded in Polish seaports. Cargo turnover amounted to 9.4 million tonnes in January, representing a 5.7% decline compared with the same month of the previous year. In January 2025, turnover had still been increasing by 4.0%.
The largest reduction concerned liquid bulk cargo, whose handling volumes fell by 8.5%, including crude oil and petroleum products, which declined by 9.6%.
Declines were also recorded in dry bulk cargo, where turnover was 8.4% lower. Within this category, however, there was a notable increase in the handling of coal and coke, which rose by as much as 62.3%.
Lower volumes were also observed in container handling (down 5.2%) and roll-on/roll-off cargo, including vehicles and transport trailers (down 7.1%).
The only category to record a clear increase was other general cargo, where turnover rose by as much as 44.4%.
The year begins with weaker demand for transport
The data for January suggest that the transport sector entered 2026 under conditions of weaker demand for both freight and passenger transport. Declines in road and rail transport may reflect reduced economic activity in certain industrial sectors as well as changes in international trade.
At the same time, growth in pipeline and air transport points to continued stability in segments linked to energy flows and international mobility.
It should be noted, however, that the presented data are preliminary and may be revised in subsequent statistical publications. Final data for 2026 will be released at the end of the year, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of the condition of Poland’s transport sector.
