The number of public transport passengers has been on a slow upward trend and is projected to reach *** billion users by 2029. This upward trend was interrupted between 2020 and 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when user numbers dropped significantly and then began recovering to the pre-pandemic levels.
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly by emailing transport.statistics@dft.gov.uk with any comments about how we meet these standards.
These statistics on transport use are published monthly.
For each day, the Department for Transport (DfT) produces statistics on domestic transport:
The associated methodology notes set out information on the data sources and methodology used to generate these headline measures.
From September 2023, these statistics include a second rail usage time series which excludes Elizabeth Line service (and other relevant services that have been replaced by the Elizabeth line) from both the travel week and its equivalent baseline week in 2019. This allows for a more meaningful like-for-like comparison of rail demand across the period because the effects of the Elizabeth Line on rail demand are removed. More information can be found in the methodology document.
The table below provides the reference of regular statistics collections published by DfT on these topics, with their last and upcoming publication dates.
Mode | Publication and link | Latest period covered and next publication |
---|---|---|
Road traffic | Road traffic statistics | Full annual data up to December 2024 was published in June 2025. Quarterly data up to March 2025 was published June 2025. |
Rail usage | The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes a range of statistics including passenger and freight rail performance and usage. Statistics are available at the https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/" class="govuk-link">ORR website. Statistics for rail passenger numbers and crowding on weekdays in major cities in England and Wales are published by DfT. |
ORR’s latest quarterly rail usage statistics, covering January to March 2025, was published in June 2025. DfT’s most recent annual passenger numbers and crowding statistics for 2023 were published in September 2024. |
Bus usage | Bus statistics | The most recent annual publication covered the year ending March 2024. The most recent quarterly publication covered January to March 2025. |
TfL tube and bus usage | Data on buses is covered by the section above. https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/busiest-times-to-travel" class="govuk-link">Station level business data is available. | |
Cycling usage | Walking and cycling statistics, England | 2023 calendar year published in August 2024. |
Cross Modal and journey by purpose | National Travel Survey | 2023 calendar year data published in August 2024. |
In early May of 2020, ** percent of respondents reported that they used public transportation at least weekly with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of respondents with the same opinion has since increased, with ** percent of respondents using public transportation as reported from the fifth wave survey findings.
In 2021, almost ** percent of public transportation users in France stated that they use the urban bus services regularly. During the same year, ** percent of respondents said that they travel by metro on a regular basis.
These statistics on transport use are published weekly.
For each day, the Department for Transport produces statistics on domestic transport:
The full time series for these statistics, starting 1 March 2020, is usually published here every Wednesday at 9.30am.
The associated methodology notes set out information on the data sources and methodology used to generate these headline measures.
For the charts previously published alongside daily coronavirus press conferences, please see the slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conferences.
Mode | Publication and link | Latest period covered and next publication |
---|---|---|
Road traffic | Road traffic statistics | Quarterly data up to September 2020 was published December 2020. Full annual data up to December 2020 will be published on 28 April 2021. Statistics for the first quarter of 2021 are expected in June 2021. |
Rail usage | The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes a range of statistics including passenger and freight rail performance and usage. Statistics are available at the https://www.orr.gov.uk/published-statistics" class="govuk-link">ORR website Statistics for rail passenger numbers and crowding on weekdays in major cities in England and Wales are published by DfT | ORR’s quarterly rail usage statistics for 2020 to 2021 were published on 11 March 2021. Quarterly data up to March 2021 and annual data for 2020 to 2021 will be published on 3 June 2021. DfT’s most recent annual passenger numbers and crowding statistics for 2019 were published on 24 September 2020. Statistics for 2020 will be released in summer 2021. |
Bus usage | Bus statistics | The most recent annual publication covered the year ending March 2020. The data for the year ending March 2021 is due to be published in October 2021. The most recent quarterly publication covered October to December 2020. The data for January to March 2021 is due to be published in June 2021. |
TFL tube and bus usage | Data on buses is covered by the section above. https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/busiest-times-to-travel" class="govuk-link">Station level business data is available. | |
Cycling usage | Walking and cycling statistics, England | 2019 calendar year 2020 calendar year data is due to be published in August 2021 |
Cross Modal and journey by purpose | National Travel Survey | 2019 calendar year 2020 calendar year data is due to be published in August 2021 |
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The global public transport market size was estimated at USD 200 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 350 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2024 to 2032. The increasing urbanization and the growing demand for efficient and sustainable transportation solutions are primary growth factors driving the market. As more people move towards urban centers, the need for reliable and extensive public transport systems becomes vital, promoting investments and developments in this sector.
One of the primary growth drivers of the public transport market is the increasing awareness and governmental policies emphasizing environmental sustainability. As emissions from personal vehicles continue to contribute significantly to urban pollution, public transport emerges as a green alternative. Governments worldwide are adopting policies and providing subsidies to promote the use of public transportation, thereby reducing the carbon footprint. Furthermore, advancements in technology, such as the integration of IoT, AI, and big data analytics, are enhancing operational efficiencies and passenger experiences, further encouraging public transport adoption.
The rising fuel prices and the economic feasibility of public transport over private vehicles also play a crucial role in the market's expansion. As fuel costs soar, maintaining private automobiles becomes financially burdensome for the average consumer. Public transport offers a cost-effective alternative, minimizing travel expenditure. Moreover, many urban areas are experiencing increased congestion, and public transport systems present a more viable solution for reducing traffic, thus saving time and improving quality of life for commuters. This economic advantage is further supported by the rising trend of shared mobility services, which integrate seamlessly with existing public transport modes.
Demographic shifts, particularly the aging population and the increasing number of working professionals, also fuel market demand. Older individuals often rely on public transport for accessibility reasons, while the working populace seeks convenient and time-saving travel options. Urban planners are increasingly considering these demographic factors in transport planning, leading to enhanced and expanded transit networks. Additionally, the shift towards smart cities is pushing the development of integrated public transport systems that are crucial for the seamless flow of urban life.
Regionally, the Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the public transport market due to rapid urbanization and economic growth in countries such as China and India. These nations are heavily investing in public transport infrastructure to support their burgeoning urban populations. Meanwhile, Europe and North America are witnessing significant technological advancements and policy initiatives aimed at modernizing existing public transport systems to make them more environment-friendly and efficient. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are also expected to see substantial growth, driven by infrastructure development and increased investments in public transport.
The mode of transport segment in the public transport market is crucial as it encompasses the various means through which passengers are transported, including buses, trains, trams, metros, and others. Buses, being the most accessible and prevalent form, dominate the market due to their flexibility and coverage. Buses are extensively used in both urban and rural areas, offering extensive routes and frequency. The affordability and government initiatives promoting bus usage for reducing urban congestion contribute significantly to this segment's growth. Moreover, technological advancements in bus systems, such as electric and hybrid models, further enhance their appeal.
Trains and metros are central to the public transport market, especially in densely populated urban areas. These modes provide fast, reliable, and high-capacity transit solutions, making them indispensable for daily commuters in metropolitan regions. Governments are investing heavily in expanding rail networks and modernizing existing infrastructure with state-of-the-art technologies to boost efficiency and safety. The development of high-speed rail networks, particularly in Asia and Europe, highlights the segment's importance in reducing travel times and enhancing regional connectivity.
Trams are gaining popularity in urban areas due to their environmental benefits and ability to integrate w
Buses were the most common mode of public land transport in Ukraine, accounting for over ** percent of total passengers in 2020. Furthermore, more than ** percent of the country's public land transport passengers used trolleybus services, and nearly ** percent rode trams.
Dial-a-Ride is a free door-to-door service for disabled and older people who can't use buses, trains or the Tube. Those eligible for membership have a permanent or long term disability which means they are unable or virtually unable to use mainstream public transport. This report details the usage for the specified quarterly, as well as the same quarter of the previous year, to allow for comparison.
There are a number of figures provided:
Find out more about the feeds available from Transport for London here
Transport Statistics Great Britain (TSGB) provides statistics on:
You can now use our https://maps.dft.gov.uk/tsgb-table-catalogue/index.html" class="govuk-link">interactive table catalogue to find TSGB tables by title, topic or table number.
Further information related to the statistics contained in each chapter is available on the TSGB guidance page.
Publications, dissemination and Transport Statistics Great Britain
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Revision
Finalised data on government support for buses was not available when these statistics were originally published (27 November 2024). The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have since published that data so the following have been revised to include it:
Revision
The following figures relating to local bus passenger journeys per head have been revised:
Table BUS01f provides figures on passenger journeys per head of population at Local Transport Authority (LTA) level. Population data for 21 counties were duplicated in error, resulting in the halving of figures in this table. This issue does not affect any other figures in the published tables, including the regional and national breakdowns.
The affected LTAs were: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, and Worcestershire.
A minor typo in the units was also corrected in the BUS02_mi spreadsheet.
A full list of tables can be found in the table index.
BUS0415: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6852b8d399b009dcdcb73612/bus0415.ods">Local bus fares index by metropolitan area status and country, quarterly: Great Britain (ODS, 35.4 KB)
This spreadsheet includes breakdowns by country, region, metropolitan area status, urban-rural classification and Local Authority. It also includes data per head of population, and concessionary journeys.
BUS01: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67603526239b9237f0915411/bus01.ods"> Local bus passenger journeys (ODS, 145 KB)
Limited historic data is available
These spreadsheets include breakdowns by country, region, metropolitan area status, urban-rural classification and Local Authority, as well as by service type. Vehicle distance travelled is a measure of levels of service provision.
BUS02_mi: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6760353198302e574b91540c/bus02_mi.ods">Vehicle distance travelled (miles) (ODS, 117 KB)
The percentage of commuters that use public transit out of all commuters aged 16 and above. Source: American Community SurveyYears Available: 2007-2011, 2008-2012, 2009-2013, 2010-2014, 2011-2015, 2012-2016, 2013-2017, 2014-2018, 2015-2019, 2016-2020, 2017-2021, 2018-2022, 2019-2023Please note: We do not recommend comparing overlapping years of data due to the nature of this dataset. For more information, please visit: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/comparing-acs-data.html
This dataset describes the public transport networks of 25 cities across the world in multiple easy-to-use data formats. These data formats include network edge lists, temporal network event lists, SQLite databases, GeoJSON files, and General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) compatible ZIP-files.
The original source data for creating these networks has been published by public transport agencies according to the GTFS data format. To produce the network data extracts for each city, the original data have been curated for errors, filtered spatially and temporally and augmented with walking distances between public transport stops using data from OpenStreetMap.
Cities included in this data set version: Adelaide, Belfast, Berlin, Bordeaux, Brisbane, Canberra, Detroit, Dublin, Grenoble, Helsinki, Kuopio, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Nantes, Palermo, Paris, Prague, Rennes, Rome, Sydney, Toulouse, Turku, Venice, and Winnipeg.
Contrary to the version 1.0 of this data set, this version (1.1) does not include the cities of Antofagasta and Athens, for which non-commercial usage of the data is not allowed.
More detailed documentation of the data will be added once the accompanying data descriptor manuscript has been finalised.
In a 2020 survey, ** percent of male respondents in the U.S. stated that they would much less likely use public transport, if COVID-19 were to spread in their community. In that same survey, ** percent of people surveyed in the U.S. revealed that they would much less likely use public transport, if their community were to affected by COVID-19.
Public transportation services provide residents and visitors with safe and dependable ways to move throughout Tempe to access jobs, medical care, community resources, and recreational opportunities. Every two years, the city of Tempe completes a survey of Tempe residents to gain insights into perceptions about public transit among both riders and non-riders along with bicycle usage, awareness of Tempe in Motion program and the Tempe Youth Free Transit Pass program.Data compares Tempe"s transit satisfaction among transit users and in some cases non users with the city of Phoenix and Valley Metro. Data is not collected every year in some cases.This page provides data for the Transportation System Satisfaction performance measure. The performance measure dashboard is available at 3.29 Transit System Satisfaction.Additional InformationSource: Tempe, Phoenix, Valley MetroContact: Sue TaaffeContact E-Mail: sue_taaffe@tempe.govData Source Type: ExcelPreparation Method: Pdf reports reviewed online and data entered into ExcelPublish Frequency: Every Two YearsPublish Method: ManualData Dictionary
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NTA94 - Persons who use public transport less than monthly. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Persons who use public transport less than monthly...
This data view shows the proximity to public transportation, and modal share of commuters by metropolitan city.
You can now use our https://maps.dft.gov.uk/tsgb-table-catalogue/" class="govuk-link">interactive table catalogue to find Transport Statistics Great Britain (TSGB) tables by title, topic or table number.
Feedback Survey
The Department for Transport is looking to gather your views on the current format and content of our cross-modal transport statistic outputs, in response to increased interest in more timely indicators of transport activity. You can provide your views by filling in this https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/X3K0D7/" class="govuk-link">survey.
We continue to welcome any general feedback on our statistical outputs, which you can email to transport statistics.
Transport Statistics Great Britain provides statistics on:
The TSGB 2021 report includes a summary of daily domestic transport statistics from 1 March 2020 to the end of the year. Transport usage statistics in 2021 are published weekly.
You can now use our https://maps.dft.gov.uk/tsgb-table-catalogue/index.html" class="govuk-link">interactive table catalogue to find TSGB tables by title, topic or table number.
Related notes and definitions for each chapter are available.
Publications, dissemination and Transport Statistics Great Britain
Email mailto:transport.statistics@dft.gov.uk">transport.statistics@dft.gov.uk
Media enquiries 0300 7777 878
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License information was derived automatically
NTA91 - Persons who use public transport less than monthly. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Persons who use public transport less than monthly...
Daily domestic transport use by mode. Daily usage of selected domestic transport by mode for Great Britain.
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Graph and download economic data for Public Transit Ridership (TRANSIT) from Jan 2000 to Apr 2025 about public, transportation, and USA.
The number of public transport passengers has been on a slow upward trend and is projected to reach *** billion users by 2029. This upward trend was interrupted between 2020 and 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when user numbers dropped significantly and then began recovering to the pre-pandemic levels.