Rail passenger journeys (Great Britain)

Source: Office of Rail and Road (ORR), series Passenger journeys, Great Britain, quarterly (Table 1223) and annual (Table 1220). Quarterly on the ORR data portal, about three months after the quarter ends; April to June 2026 was published on 1 October 2026 and the next release is 17 December 2026. Data tables are downloadable from the portal (ODS/CSV); file links change each release

What it measures

This measures journeys made by passengers on the mainline railway in Great Britain, mainly estimated from ticket sales recorded in the industry's LENNON system, with additional data from operators, Transport for London and Network Rail. A journey is a trip from origin to destination on one ticket, even if it involves changing trains. It includes the Elizabeth line and London Overground but not the London Underground, trams or most light rail. Northern Ireland's railways are run separately by Translink and are not included.

How to read it

Because journeys are estimated from tickets, changes in how people buy tickets affect the count. The ORR warns that split ticketing (using two or more tickets for one trip), estimated at around 5% of journeys in 2023 to 2024, may overstate journeys and the recovery since the pandemic, and that some concessionary journeys are missing from the source data. Compare the same quarter in different years, as travel is seasonal. Revenue figures are adjusted for inflation using CPI. For journeys at a single station, the ORR publishes separate annual estimates of station usage.

Background

The ORR's annual series of passenger journeys runs from 1946. Journeys collapsed during the pandemic and have since recovered, helped by the opening of the Elizabeth line in May 2022; the ORR reported that journeys had exceeded pre-pandemic levels, at 1.8 billion in April 2025 to March 2026, 6% more than the year before. In April to June 2026 there were 461 million journeys, 2% more than a year earlier, while passenger revenue of £3.2 billion was 1% lower after adjusting for inflation.

Other parts of the UK

ORR: regional rail usage (journeys by English region, Scotland and Wales) · Transport Scotland: statistics

How many train journeys are made in Britain each year?

The ORR estimated 1.8 billion passenger journeys on Britain's mainline railway in April 2025 to March 2026, 6% more than in the previous year. The figure is for Great Britain and excludes the London Underground.

How many people use the railways each day?

The ORR does not publish a daily count. Dividing the 461 million journeys in April to June 2026 by the 91 days in the quarter gives an average of about 5 million journeys a day, but weekdays and weekends differ widely and journeys are not the same as individual people.

Have rail passenger numbers returned to pre-pandemic levels?

The ORR's annual chart shows journeys in April 2025 to March 2026 exceeding pre-pandemic levels. It cautions that split ticketing may overstate recent journeys, so the size of the recovery may be smaller than the headline numbers suggest.

Which train operator carries the most passengers?

The ORR publishes journeys by operator each quarter in Table 1223. In its release it groups operators and notes the London and South East sector recorded 312 million journeys in January to March 2026. Use the latest table for current rankings.

Does this include the London Underground?

No. The ORR statistics cover the mainline network, including the Elizabeth line. Transport for London publishes Underground ridership separately.

Related questions

• How many people use the railways?
• Where can I find road traffic statistics?
• How many people die on UK roads each year?

More on this source: Department for Transport statistics and Office of Rail and Road official rail statistics