Motivations and barriers to train usage

24 January 2024

This report explores the motivations and barriers to rail usage. We asked current, lapsed and non-users of
public transport about their travel by train. We asked how this has changed in the last year, what is driving
changes in usage, and what the key barriers are which mean they don’t travel by train more, or at all.

Transport Focus undertook this research in March 2023. We can compare some of the findings with a previous
survey, undertaken in March 2022, which was focused on how train usage had changed since the pandemic.

We hope this report provides the rail industry with useful insight on the opportunities and challenges the
railway faces to attract people to choose rail travel for more journeys.