Free public transport scheme sees almost 50% more Tallinja card passengers in winter compared to 2021

Tallinja card passengers increased by 50% between October and December compared to the same period in 2021, denoting an upward tick in bus use since the free public transport initiative was launched.

According to Malta Public Transport, the company carried 49.6 million passengers in 2022, an overall year-on-year increase of 40% when compared to 2021.

When comparing the October to December periods for both years, bus use increased by 50%.

In December, the number of passengers travelling by bus surpassed pre-pandemic numbers for the first time by 8%.

“We are pleased to reach this significant milestone by surpassing our record numbers of 2019 for the first time in December,” said General Manager of Malta Public Transport Konrad Pulé.

2019 had been a record year already, with Malta Public Transport adding adding that the free public transport initiative is succeeding in incentivising even more people to use public transport.

This trend was also reflected on New Year’s Eve when the company carried twice the amount of people on its night services when compared to 2019. 

Night services, along with daily routes and special services, are also included in the free public transport scheme for all tallinja card holders.

“These results encourage us to continue working hard to improve our bus service. We have gathered extensive feedback through customer research, and we are currently discussing various improvements to the route network with different stakeholders in this regard,” concluded Pulé.