Israel Sees Bus Ridership Decline, Train Use Increase Over Decade

A decade-long analysis of Israeli public transportation usage reveals a significant drop in bus ridership among adults, while train travel has seen a notable increase. Data from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics for 2025, compared to 2015, indicates that while 57% of adults used buses in 2015, this figure fell to 50% in 2025. Daily or near-daily bus users also decreased from 19% to 15% over the same period. Despite this decline, public perception of bus services remains mixed, with 52% rating them as good or very good, though only 56% of actual bus users felt they could reach their destinations in a reasonable time, a figure largely unchanged from 2015.

Geographical variations in bus service satisfaction are evident, with Beer Sheva showing a significant increase in users' ability to reach destinations within a reasonable time, while Tel Aviv-Yafo saw a slight decrease. Satisfaction with the proximity of bus stops remains high, with 82% of users finding them conveniently located, and this satisfaction has generally increased over the decade.

Light rail services, where available, meet the needs of 43% of residents in those cities. Jerusalem's light rail is used by half its residents, while in Tel Aviv-Yafo, only 28% find it meets their needs, with a significant portion of residents not using it at all.

The railway system emerges as the most successful component of public transport. Train travel increased from 39% of adults in 2015 to 44% in 2025. Satisfaction with the national rail service, "Rakevet Yisrael," rose from 58% to 66% over the decade, with 86% of actual train passengers rating it positively. Despite these gains, personal vehicles remain the dominant mode of commuting, with 62% of employed Israelis using private or company cars, while only 3.5% use trains for their commute.

Overall, public transport's share of daily work commutes has decreased from approximately 20% to 16% over the past ten years. The railway appears to be substituting for other forms of public transport rather than drawing commuters away from private cars. Digital services for public transport are more popular among younger demographics, with 57% of those aged 20-49 finding them useful, compared to only 34% of those aged 65 and older.