The 2025 edition of the EMTA Barometer is out now, providing a comprehensive set of public transport data across the largest metropolitan areas in Europe.
In 2024, the rapid decarbonisation of public transport showed no signs of slowing down. The rise of electric buses continued, particularly in the northern parts of the continent. Metropolitan regions of Amsterdam, Oslo, Copenhagen and Helsinki, for example, are on their way to boasting bus fleets where most of the vehicles, if not all, are electric. We also see a rise in the use of electric hybrids (London, Barcelona, Brussels) and biodiesel/biogas (Rotterdam/The Hague, Paris).
Even though most of our members were still to reach the passenger numbers of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, passenger numbers have grown steadily in most metropolitan areas, and some regions have already recovered from the covid shock. However, there is great variation across EMTA members.
The financial situation of public transport remains challenging regardless. Fare coverage – the percentage by which public transport costs are covered by ticket revenues – is significantly lower than in 2019 in many metropolitan areas. This is due not only to the slow recovery of ridership and rise in costs, but in some countries also to national policies to make public transport cheaper.
EMTA Barometer saw a major overhaul last year, and this year’s edition follows its predecessor’s footsteps. Alongside the report, we have also updated the EMTA Dashboard which provides up-to-date data online.
This Barometer report would not have been possible without our member organisations, whose data contributions have been priceless. A special thank you goes to the Barometer Committee for their dedication.
