Record numbers announced, with public transport now providing 1m passenger journeys a day
Journey numbers have reached a record high, with people now using public transport services more than a million times a day. This represents an increase of 12% compared to the same time last year.
Operators of state-supported public transport are currently experiencing an unprecedented demand for services. The daily average number of passenger journeys between Monday 23rd and Sunday 29th September was 1,070,901 compared to 939,335 for the same week in 2023.
Operators across the board including Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann, Go-Ahead Ireland and Luas are seeing highest ever passenger numbers. All are well ahead of where they were in 2023, itself a record year.
Among the factors that have brought about an increase in passengers has been the investment and improvements in public transport around the country including:
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “Public transport is going from strength to strength. It’s amazing to be here celebrating that we are now up to one million passenger journeys a day. Last year, we saw a record year with 308m passenger journeys. At current rates, we are on track to far exceed this in 2024.
“Behind every one of these journeys are the people who make the trips happen, the drivers, the mechanics, the logistics people who ensure that our public transport is operating every day in our urban centres, and across rural Ireland where there has been an enormous change happening.
“And of course, it’s because of the passengers who are choosing to take the train, the bus or the light rail to get to where they want to go. To everyone who steps on board at any time, I want to say thanks a million. Your journey really counts.”
NTA CEO Anne Graham said: “Reaching this milestone is a remarkable achievement for everybody involved in providing public transport, but particularly those front-line workers and support workers who interact and engage with our customers a million times a day.
“I’d like to thank them for the work they put in, day-in day-out, around the clock, in all sorts of conditions. Today’s achievement would simply not have been possible without them.
“I’d also like to acknowledge everybody who has chosen to travel by bus, train or tram and particularly those who have shifted to public transport in the last year or so.
“We’re aware that while the number of people choosing public transport is greater than ever before, there are pressure points. We know that congestion and challenges around recruiting drivers and mechanics has meant that in some instances, public transport is falling well short of expectations and is simply not good enough. This is as frustrating for us in NTA as it is for customers, and we are working with operators in addressing issues like these as they arise.
“But for every customer who is understandably frustrated or disappointed there are hundreds if not thousands of people who are enjoying the benefits of an affordable, reliable service that is providing connectivity for communities in cities, towns and villages around the country to a greater extent than ever before.”
Jim Meade, CEO of Iarnród Éireann said: “Reaching 1 million passengers per day on public transport, demonstrates the public’s commitment to making public transport their preferred transport option.
“At Iarnród Éireann we are committed, through our capital investment programme to grow our services through provision of new routes, new fleets and new stations meaning we can continue to grow our passenger base by serving new and existing communities.”
Billy Hann, CEO of Dublin Bus said: “I am encouraged to see more people embracing public transport and active travel, choosing to leave their cars at home
“This decision is transforming our cities and towns into more sustainable and vibrant places for everyone. As people vote with their feet, at Dublin Bus, we remain committed to working hard to deliver a reliable, high-quality service for the communities we proudly serve.”
Dervla McKay, Managing Director of Go-Ahead Ireland said: “The entire Go-Ahead Ireland team is thrilled to have contributed to this excellent milestone, and we are so grateful to the communities we serve for placing their trust in us to get them to their destinations every single day.”
Stephen Kent, CEO of Bus Éireann said: “This milestone is a remarkable achievement and Bus Éireann is proud to connect more people to who and what matters to them. Across all of our regional city, town, commuter and rural services, we continue to see passenger growth and this growth is delivering significant economic, social and environmental benefits for all these communities which we are proud to serve.
“I want to thank all Bus Éireann employees for their commitment to delivering this essential public service and of course, to all of our valued customers for using our services, now more than ever.”
Ben Dwars, CEO of Transdev Dublin Light Rail, Luas operator, said: “I am pleased to see this significant milestone achieved for public transport. Luas, along with all forms of public transport, continues to evolve, becoming increasingly attractive to users. Our growth underscores the economic and sustainable benefits of public transport, fosters connections between people and communities, and provides individuals with the freedom to move seamlessly in their daily lives.”
