Public transport use hit a record high in Ireland last year, according to National Transport Authority figures.

People in Ireland made around 308 million journeys on Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann, Luas and other local services in 2023.

The figure is 24% higher than it was in 2022 and 5% higher than in 2019 - which previously held the record.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan described the figures as “encouraging” given the Government’s recent investment in the public transport sector. 

“It shows that when you provide good transport services people flock to them, in both urban and rural areas,” he said. 

“This year we will continue to invest in and improve transport services with more town buses, more rural services and progression on transformative Bus Corridors in our cities, now starting to come out of planning.

“As new services are introduced, people are talking with their feet and jumping on board, which is hugely encouraging as lots of new services have been introduced allowing people to travel sustainably and to leave their cars at home.”

A Luas outside Heuston Station in Dublin.

NTA CEO Anne Graham said the figures demonstrate that Ireland has become a "leader in Europe" on the issue of public transport.

“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," she said.

"Last year, we implemented over 60 new and enhanced bus services, connecting towns and villages across Ireland [and] giving our people the option to take public transport to work, school, and college or to leisure appointments.

"The passenger numbers speak for themselves."

A Bus Éireann Expressway coach to Galway arrives in Donegal Town.

Nearly half of all public transport journeys were taken on Dublin Bus, with 145 million passenger journeys recorded last year - up 20% on the figures for 2022. 

Around 45.5 million passenger journeys were made by rail and a further 48.2 million trips were made on the Luas. 

Carbon emissions

In 2021, the transport sector represented 18% of Ireland’s emissions and the Government pledged in its Climate Action plan to halve that figure by 2030. 

To do that, the Department of Transport has pledged to invest €11 billion on new public transport infrastructure, cut fares by 20% and introduced further reductions for young adults. 

The aim is for half of all journeys in Ireland to be taken on foot, bicycle or public transport by the end of the decade.

Main image: A DART and train at Connolly Station in Dublin. Picture by: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie