Record number of people used public transport in 2023

More than 308 million passenger journeys were taken on Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Irish Rail, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and Local Link services last year. Picture: Larry Cummins

There were a record number of people using public transport in 2023, with more than 300 million journeys taken.

More than 308 million passenger journeys were taken on Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Irish Rail, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and Local Link services last year — the busiest ever year for Ireland's public transport.

Figures released by the National Transport Authority (NTA) show it is the first time ever passenger numbers have exceeded 300 million.

The preliminary figures represent an overall 24% increase in passenger numbers year-on-year, and a 5% increase above the previous record year in 2019.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan welcomed the news, saying public transport had turned a "significant corner" last year.

"Communities up and down the country are now benefiting from the significantly increased and enhanced public transport and the new lower fares we have introduced.

“The numbers of people using our buses, trains and trams this year are really encouraging.

As new services are introduced, people are talking with their feet and jumping on board, which is hugely encouraging.

When broken down, the figures show:

• Dublin Bus saw an increase of 20% in passenger numbers to 145.9m;
• Bus Éireann served more than 44 million passengers, up nine million on 2022 numbers;
• The Luas carried 48.2 million passengers in 2023, up nearly 10 million on 2022 figures;
• Irish Rail carried 45.5 million passenger journeys around its network, up from 35.8 million in 2022.

Furthermore, Local Link regular bus services, connecting towns and townlands in rural Ireland, carried 3.2 million passengers in 2023, a 78% increase on the 1.8 million passenger journeys in 2022. 

In July 2023, TFI Local Link Kerry and the NTA implemented two new services on the Ring of Kerry, the 280 (Waterville – Cahersiveen – Killorglin - Killarney) bus service and the 281 (Waterville – Kenmare) bus service.

This was aided by the launch of more than 60 new services and routes across Ireland last year — with numbers now up sevenfold since Local Link services were launched in 2018.

In July 2023, TFI Local Link Kerry and the NTA implemented two new services on the Ring of Kerry, the 280 (Waterville – Caherciveen – Killorglin - Killarney) bus service and the 281 (Waterville – Kenmare) bus service. 

These enhancements have proved to be very popular, with more than 6,800 people using the 280/281 TFI Local Link service in December 2023.

In addition, patronage on the 270 Bus Éireann service between Killarney and Skibbereen has increased by 250%, from about 2,000 passengers a month in 2022 to about 7,000 passengers a month in 2023

NTA chief executive Anne Graham said: "Ireland continues to be a leader in Europe with our public transport passenger numbers growing strongly. 

"The NTA has continued to plan, implement and invest in our public transport network and we are seeing the results of that around the country. The passenger numbers speak for themselves."