Public transport

Public transport satisfaction

Almost two-thirds of respondents (64%) said they were very or fairly satisfied with public transport. This was the same as in 2024, but lower than in 2019 and prior years. [Table 4]

Satisfaction was a little higher amongst actual users of public transport (those that had used bus or train in the past month) with 70% of users reporting that they were satisfied in 2025. [Table 4b]

Satisfaction with public transport was lowest in rural areas. Satisfaction rates for those living in remote rural and accessible rural areas (42% and 45% respectively) contrasted with a satisfaction rate of 74% for those living in large urban areas.

Local bus services

43% of survey respondents had used the bus in the past month, a rise on 2024 (39%). Those using the bus everyday or almost every day made up 9%. This is a return to the levels of use seen before the pandemic. [Table SUM1, Table 28a]

Frequency of bus use was higher in urban areas: 61% of people in large urban areas used the bus at least once a month compared to 19% in remote rural areas. [Table 28a and Figure 10]

Figure 10: Percentage of adults using the bus at least once a month, by urban rural category, 2025

A bar chart showing the percentage of adults using the bus by urban rural category. 61% of people in large urban areas use the bus and this declines the more rural the category to 19% in remote rural areas.

Rail travel

33% of survey respondents had used the train in the last month. Use of the train every day or almost every day has been lower than it was before the pandemic and use 2 or 3 times a week has been higher. [Table 28b, Table SUM1]

The proportion of people who reported that they had used the train in the last month decreased with age: 45% of those aged 16-19 and 43% aged 20-29 had used the train in the last month, compared to 22% aged 70 to 79 and 11% of those aged 80 and over. [Table 28b and Figure 11] 

Figure 11: Percentage of adults using the train at least once in the past month by age, 2025

A bar chart showing the percentages of adults using the train. Young people are the most likely to use the train at over 40%. This declines with age to 11% of people aged 80 and over.

Public transport cost

The average amount spent by an adult on public transport in 2025 was £4.70 per week. Most people (76%) spent nothing. This includes those who do not use public transport and holders of a pass for free travel. [Table 53]

For those who said they used public transport at least once a week, the average spent was £10.20 per week and 50% spent nothing (this will include free pass holders). [Table 53]

Affordability of transport

70% of people said their transport costs were either fairly easy or very easy to afford, about the same as in 2024. People in the 20-29 age group were least likely to find their transport costs easy to afford (59%). [Table 54]