Passenger Transport by Railway: Evaluation of Economic and Social Phenomenon

Transport activity depends on the development of other economic sectors, it is associated with the social and economic development of a country. Therefore, when forecasting economic development of a country, it is important to scrutinize and evaluate the direct and indirect influence of a transport system and its particular branches on social and economic sectors of a country or region. This article analyzes the methodological aspects of evaluating the social and economic influences of a passenger transport system. Passenger transport by railway is regarded not only as a business but also as a social function. In order to evaluate the relations of passenger transport by railway and the macroeconomic processes of a country or region, the macroeconomic social turnover indicators, that characterize the passenger transport activity, are chosen, the methods of economic statistical analysis are used. The interconnection of passenger railway transport's indicators and Lithuania's macroeconomic indicators are measured by calculation. The topic of interoperability installation in the Lithuanian railways is presented as well, and the benefits and costs of activities of the main stakeholders in railway transportation are projected.