Particle transport in electrical precipitators is usually described in terms of an ’effective migration velocity’, but the meaning of this term is subject to debate. This work, based on mass balance, is able to demonstrate very simply that the particle transport towards the collecting plates can be described by the total coarse mass flux. The equation for this new quantity is as simple as the equation for the effective migration velocity, and therefore it should be appropriate for common applications. In addition, a relationship is given for transforming the total coarse mass flux into an effective migration velocity and vice versa. The concept of total coarse mass fur is based completely on physical terms, which might lead to more insight into the processes in electrical precipitation than effective migration velocity does, thus avoiding time-consuming discussions. For completeness it is briefly mentioned that this concept can be extended to the description of local coarse mass fluxes as well.