Figures released by Translink show the sharp rise was driven by extended late-night festive services, as more people opted for public transport as a safe and reliable way to travel during the busy holiday period.
Late-night bus services in Belfast accounted for more than 7,000 of the journeys, delivered as part of a year-long pilot funded by the Department for Infrastructure, the wider NI Executive and Belfast City Council.
Translink said the increase highlights the role extended late-night services can play in supporting Belfast’s evening economy, while encouraging safer and more sustainable travel choices.
Chris Conway, Translink Group Chief Executive, said passenger numbers were “significantly higher than last year”.
“Bus and train services have proved popular, with passenger journeys over the festive period significantly higher than last year,” he said.
“Additional late-night bus services, funded by the Department for Infrastructure and the wider NI Executive and Belfast City Council as part of the year-long pilot, have also delivered strong results.
“Christmas is traditionally the busiest time of year for late-night travel, and this year’s success provides an excellent foundation to build upon in the months ahead.”
Mr Conway said the results demonstrated what could be achieved through collaboration, adding that public transport had helped “energise the city’s nightlife while offering a greener, safer way to travel”.
“We look forward to building on this strong start for late-night services and will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to maximise the benefits of public transport for the city and for customers,” he said.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins welcomed the increase in usage, describing it as “very encouraging”.
“It is very encouraging to see the support that has been given to the introduction of late-night transport services,” she said.
“This demonstrates the need and underlines my commitment to ensuring safe and sustainable travel. The benefits are wide-ranging and the boost to the night-time economy is welcome.
“I hope people continue to make use of public transport throughout 2026 so that together we can continue to build the case for public transport as a good choice for travel.”
The year-long late-night bus pilot will continue to operate every Friday and Saturday night throughout 2026, supported by the NI Executive and Belfast City Council. Timetabled late-night rail services will also continue on Friday and Saturday nights.
Separately, SDLP Belfast City Council group leader Councillor Séamas de Faoite said the figures showed “huge demand” for permanent late-night services.
Translink has hailed its late night services as a major success (Stock image).
News Catch Up – Wednesday 7 January
“The SDLP has been campaigning for many years for the introduction of permanent late-night bus services for Belfast and other parts of the North,” he said.
“These figures clearly show the huge demand that exists and I’m hopeful that this uptake will be reflected in the ongoing pilot.”