Passengers made 1.83 billion journeys on Great Britain’s rail network between April 2025 and March 2026, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has announced; the highest number since 1920.
The latest annual figure exceeds the recent high of 1.75 billion recorded in the year April 2018 to March 2019 and is also up 6% on the 1.73 billion journeys recorded last year.
New infrastructure, passengers returning to the rail network following the pandemic and the types of tickets we buy, have all influenced the official usage figures.
The Elizabeth line has continued to play a major role in the increase, with 257.4 million journeys between April 2025 and March 2026. Passenger journeys on the Elizabeth line increased substantially since the central section opened in 2022, with stations on the new section of the line amongst the busiest in Great Britain.
Season ticket journeys, often used by commuters, have continued to increase since the pandemic, with 234 million journeys made, a 4% increase on the previous year, although this is far short of the 588 million before the pandemic.
Off peak journeys have also risen in the latest year from 799 million to 844 million – a 6% increase. However, the total fare revenue of £12.32 billion still lags behind the pre-pandemic total of £13.39 billion.
There have also been changes to the way passengers buy tickets. There has been increased use in ‘split ticketing’, where two or more tickets are bought for a journey at a lower price than a single ticket, thereby counted as more than one journey.
Graham Richards, director, planning and performance, said: “It’s great news that more people are using the railway.
“The Elizabeth line has been a massive boost to rail, but behind the usage figures there is a significant shift to how and when we use the rail network. As more people are using the railway it’s important to have a relentless focus in ensuring trains are punctual and reliable as possible.”
Image credit: ORR
