Passenger Journeys by Operator - 31 March 2024
Table reveals wide variations between different TOCs
The table below re-presents the ORR's figures for passenger journeys, showing numbers for a rolling year ended 31 March 2024 and comparing it both with the previous year and giving the most recent growth, then with 2018/19, the last pre-Covid year, then , showing the 2024 position against the same quarter in 2018/19. The figures are for millions of passenger journeys.
The analysis illustrates the huge variations between franchised operators, which show growth last year varying between 27% on ScotRail and 3.1% on LNER. There is a similar story on recovery, too - with figures varying between a continuing shortfall of 33% (Merseyrail) and gains of 8.5% on LNER and 8.3% on EMR - the only two franchised TOCs to be ahead of their 2019 patronage.
The open access operators on the East Coast route also show strong growth and both Grand Central and Hull Trains are well ahead of their pre-pandemic passenger numbers - in Hull's case now over one third.
| Operator | 31/03/2024 | 31/03/2023 | % change | 31/03/2019 | % Shortfall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franchised | ||||||
| Avanti West Coast | 32.75 | 26.59 | 23.2% | 39.48 | (17.0%) | |
| c2c | 35.79 | 33.77 | 6.0% | 49.14 | (27.2%) | |
| Caledonian Sleeper | 0.31 | 0.27 | 15.3% | 0.31 | 0.2% | |
| Chiltern Railways | 21.07 | 19.34 | 9.0% | 29.32 | (28.1%) | |
| Cross Country | 32.76 | 27.77 | 18.0% | 40.63 | (19.4%) | |
| East Midlands Trains | 28.94 | 25.55 | 13.3% | 26.73 | 8.3% | |
| GTR | 278.96 | 250.37 | 11.4% | 341.49 | (18.3%) | |
| Great Western Railway | 82.61 | 77.18 | 7.0% | 100.04 | (17.4%) | |
| Greater Anglia | 76.36 | 66.64 | 14.6% | 84.95 | (10.1%) | |
| LNER | 24.17 | 23.43 | 3.1% | 22.28 | 8.5% | |
| Merseyrail | 28.28 | 25.50 | 10.9% | 42.10 | (32.8%) | |
| Northern | 85.07 | 81.36 | 4.6% | 101.34 | (16.1%) | |
| ScotRail | 81.15 | 63.69 | 27.4% | 97.78 | (17.0%) | |
| South West Trains | 153.25 | 138.36 | 10.8% | 215.98 | (29.0%) | |
| South Eastern | 128.37 | 117.52 | 9.2% | 183.25 | (29.9%) | |
| TfW | 26.25 | 23.16 | 13.3% | 33.45 | (21.5%) | |
| Trans Pennine Express | 23.39 | 19.24 | 21.6% | 29.25 | (20.0%) | |
| West Midlands Trains | 61.8 | 56.2 | 9.9% | 78.7 | (21.4%) | |
| Total Franchised | 1,201.30 | 1,075.97 | 11.6% | 1,516.21 | (20.8%) | |
| TfL Concessions | ||||||
| Elizabeth Line† | 220.27 | 143.15 | 53.9% | 51.29 | 329.4% | |
| London Overground | 181.39 | 157.07 | 15.5% | 188.06 | (3.5%) | |
| Total TfL | 401.66 | 300.22 | 33.8% | 239.36 | 67.8% | |
| Non-Franchised Operators | ||||||
| Grand Central | 1.76 | 1.59 | 10.5% | 1.51 | 17.0% | |
| Heathrow Express | 4.54 | 4.71 | (3.7%) | 6.20 | (26.8%) | |
| Hull Trains | 1.43 | 1.15 | 24.4% | 1.01 | 41.6% | |
| Lumo | 1.26 | 1.15 | 9.9% | - | N/A | |
| Total Non-Franchised | 8.99 | 8.60 | 4.5% | 8.72 | 3.1% | |
| Total GB | 1,612.0 | 1,384.8 | 16.4% | 1,764.3 | (8.6%) | |
† - TfL Rail in 2019, with a much more limited service.