Public transport usage in Ireland reached an all-time high in 2024, with 343.6 million journeys recorded on state-subsidized services – an increase of almost 11% from the previous year.
The National Transport Authority reported 33 million additional trips compared to 2023, marking the second consecutive year of record-breaking passenger numbers. The surge shows public transport usage has not only recovered from pandemic lows but now exceeds pre-2019 levels.
Revenue also grew significantly, increasing by €28.4 million to €552.1 million – over 5% annually. The proportion of passengers using public transport for work and study rose from 38% to 40%.
Dublin Bus saw the largest volume with 159 million journeys, up 9% annually. Luas services broke records with 54 million journeys – a 12% increase. Iarnród Éireann, including DART services, grew almost 10% to 50.6 million journeys.
Bus Éireann increased from 43.1 million to 46 million journeys, while GoAhead Ireland in the greater Dublin area recorded impressive 20% growth, rising from 18.7 million to 22.5 million journeys.
The most dramatic growth occurred in rural areas, where Local Link services saw passenger journeys surge 47% to 4.7 million, supported by 45 new and enhanced services.
NTA interim chief executive Hugh Creegan welcomed the figures while acknowledging ongoing reliability and punctuality challenges that operators are working to address.