Cyprus flies, Poland drives. How do residents of both countries travel?

Transport in Cyprus and Poland is primarily based on cars, but the proportions of other modes of transport are quite different. On the island, 25.3 percent of transport is by plane, while in Poland it is 10.3 percent.

Poles, on the other hand, use cars and trains more frequently. Cars account for 72.6 percent of passenger kilometers in Poland, while rail accounts for 8.2 percent. Cyprus has no rail network, so its share is zero.

What does Eurostat actually measure?

The data does not show the total number of trips or the percentage of residents choosing a particular mode of transport. Eurostat uses passenger-kilometers.

One passenger transported over a distance of one kilometer is equivalent to one passenger-kilometer. For example, a journey of 100 kilometers by one person is equivalent to 100 passenger-kilometers.

For this reason, long flights have a much greater weight in the comparison than many short bus or car journeys. The result therefore reflects the structure of overall transport work, not the number of individual trips.

Transport in Cyprus and Poland – the most important differences

The car remains the most important means of transportation in both countries. However, its importance is greater in Poland.

In 2024, cars were responsible for:

• 61.9 percent of passenger kilometers in Cyprus,
• 72.6 percent in Poland,
• 69.2 percent across the European Union.

Cyprus, however, clearly stands out in terms of air travel. Airplanes accounted for 25.3 percent of total transport performance. This was the third highest figure in the European Union.

In Poland, the share of aviation was 10.3 per cent, which is significantly lower than in Cyprus and below the EU average of 15.8 per cent.

Why do airplanes have such a large presence in Cyprus?

The high level of air travel is primarily due to the country's island location. Most travel to other countries requires air travel.

Millions of tourists also fly to Cyprus, and the distance traveled by flight is many times greater than by local car or bus. Each such flight generates a significant number of passenger kilometers.

A higher share of aviation was recorded only in Croatia, where it amounted to 45.6 percent, and in Bulgaria, with the result of 30.3 percent.

This doesn't mean that Cypriots fly for a quarter of their total travel. It does mean that aviation accounts for a quarter of the total distance traveled by passengers.

Cyprus uses buses more often than Poland

Buses, coaches, and trolleybuses accounted for 12.8 percent of transport performance in Cyprus. In Poland, their share was 8.8 percent, and the EU average was 7.3 percent.

Cypriot data may include not only urban and intercity transport, but also tourist and coach services. This is important for an island that has no trains and welcomes a large number of foreign visitors.

This doesn't mean, however, that local bus transportation is well-developed everywhere. Connections are concentrated primarily in cities, between major towns, and on routes leading to airports and resorts.

The biggest difference is the railway

Polish rail accounted for 8.2 percent of passenger kilometers in 2024. This was slightly higher than the EU average of 7.5 percent.

There are no railways in Cyprus. The island had a state-owned railway line in the first half of the 20th century, but it closed in 1951. Currently, public transport relies solely on buses, taxis, and private carriers.

The lack of trains limits the possibilities of traveling between cities without a car. In Poland, trains can take over some longer domestic journeys, while in Cyprus, similar journeys are made by car or bus.

The car still dominates throughout the EU

In 2024, cars accounted for 69.2 percent of the 6.13 trillion passenger kilometers traveled in the European Union. Their share fell by one percentage point compared to 2023.

The highest results were recorded:

• in Lithuania – 83.7 percent,
• in the Netherlands – 77 percent,
• in Finland – 75.4 percent.

The share of air travel in the EU rose to 15.8 percent. Rail travel reached 7.5 percent, and buses, coaches, and trolleybuses reached 7.3 percent.

For the first time since 2014, trains' share exceeded that of buses and coaches. Maritime transport accounted for only 0.4 percent of total transport.

Poland and Cyprus are dependent on cars in different ways

Poland has an extensive railway network and a higher share of trains than the EU average, but cars still account for almost three-quarters of the distance travelled.

In Cyprus, the share of cars is smaller, but this is primarily due to the significant importance of aviation and bus transport, particularly for tourism. The private car remains crucial for residents' daily transportation.

Eurostat data clearly illustrates the consequences of the lack of railways and its island location. Poland primarily travels by car, but has a rail alternative. Cyprus uses cars, buses, and planes, and currently has no passenger rail transport.

Sources: Eurostat, Politis.