Transportation activities in the first five months of 2023 grew solidly in terms of both passenger and freight transport, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Passenger transport was estimated at over 1.85 billion passengers, an increase of 21.2 per cent over the same period last year, while freight transport was estimated at 930.5 million tons, an increase of 18 per cent.

Cargo transport by road and inland waterways increased during the five-month period, reaching 682.5 million tons and 196.4 million tons, respectively. The figures represent increases of 13.5 per cent and 37.6 per cent compared to the same period last year.

However, transport by air and rail declined. Cargo transport by air was down 3.3 per cent year-on-year, reaching 100,000 tonnes.

Freight transport by rail was estimated at 1.8 million tons, a year-on-year fall of 28.5 per cent. However, passenger transport by rail grew strongly, by 98.1 per cent year-on-year, with 2.4 million passengers.