iMONITRAF! Annual Report 2023

Alpine transport volumes rebound after pandemic & challenges persist

Transalpine traffic volumes have fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with heavy vehicle traffic 2.4% higher than in 2019. In 2022, around 24,400 heavy vehicles and 83,700 light vehicles crossed the seven main transalpine corridors every day, reflecting a strong recovery in both road and rail transport. In particular, rail transport accounted for 33% of the total 165.8 million tonnes of goods transported, with a slight decrease in its share compared to previous years.

While air pollutant concentrations of NO2 decreased, certain stations, in particular along the Brenner and Gotthard corridors, remain close to or above the proposed EU air quality limits. Furthermore, despite the progress made on the Gotthard corridor with new rail infrastructure, both the Brenner and the Gotthard corridors have missed their targets for reducing heavy vehicle traffic. The increase in lorry volumes points to continuing challenges in achieving sustainable transport goals and underlines the need for further efforts to shift freight transport to more environmentally friendly modes.