ORR finds number of post-pandemic rail journeys doubled over last year

Credit: ORR

More than double the number of rail journeys were made by passengers between April 2021 and March 2022 compared to the number of those made during the pandemic in the previous year. Official figures released by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) show a total of 990 million journeys were made in Britain over the last year. Only 388 million journeys were made in 2020-21 as journeys fell to the lowest levels last seen in the mid-nineteenth century.

Credit: ORR

Credit: ORR

Income from passenger revenue also increased in the last year to £5.9 billion, nearly three times more than the £2.0 billion generated during the pandemic and equates to 54 per cent of the £11 billion generated pre-pandemic. ORR’s stats show 83.4 per cent of passenger journeys were made using ordinary tickets such as advance, off-peak and anytime/peak tickets.

Season tickets accounted for just 16.9 per cent of journeys made this year, half of pre-pandemic levels. Season tickets generated revenue worth £526 million this year, equal to 24.0 per cent of the £2.2 billion generated two years ago. ORR also found that long-distance journeys recorded the highest relative usage compared to pre-pandemic figures.

London North Eastern Railway saw a return of 83.3 per cent of passengers compared to usage pre-pandemic, the most of any operator. Journeys made in the regions made up 58.3 per cent of relative usage compared to pre-pandemic, and 55.9 per cent of journeys were made in London and the South East compared to pre-pandemic. Govia Thameslink Railway had the most rail usage in 2021-22 with 179.0 million journeys made, but this was 51.3 per cent of relative usage compared to two years ago. Heathrow Express (30.6 per cent) recorded the lowest relative usage this year.

Credit: ORR